USA > Kentucky > Daviess County > History of Daviess County, Kentucky, together with sketches of its cities, villages, and townships, educational religious, civil military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, biographies of representative citizens, and an outline history of Kentucky > Part 50
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William N. Dunn is a son of William H. Dann, who was born in King and Queen County, Va., near Rappahannock River, in 1801. He came from Virginia to Kentucky and settled in Montgomery County, and there was married to Susan Ann Dunikee, who was a native of Kentucky. He remained there for several years, and
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opened in business in a small place called Ticktown. Here he opened a hotel and ran it a few years. He was born of wealthy parents, his father, Newbald D.inn, being a large planter in Vir- ginia. William H. Dunn was well started in life, and on three different times received slaves from his father's plantation, being brought here from Virginia. Owing to misfortunes in life he died a poor man. In 1828 he moved to Daviess County and remained here about five years when he bought a farm in Ohio County, near the line of Hancock and Daviess counties, known as the John Shively farm. He lived here about ten years and then sold his farm and moved to Hancock County where he lived the re- mainder of his life. He died at his son-in-law's in Spencer County, Ind., in March, 1858. Mrs. Dunn died May 7, 1867, at her youngest son's, Francis M. Dunn, in Hancock County, and was buried in the cemetery at Hawesville. They reared nine chil- dren, five sons and four daughters. They also lost one son, who died in infancy. William N. Dunn, the eighth child of his father's family, was born in Daviess County, June 6, 1837, on a place then called the Alex. McDaniel farm, between Pellville and Knottsville. He was raised in the county and lived with his father till he was nearly twenty years of age. He was married Nov. 11, 1856, to Eliza Jane Stinnett, daughter of Joel Stinnett, an old settler of Daviess County. After he was married he rented a farm about two miles south of Pellville, Daviess County, and worked it for three years. He then moved six miles southwest of Pellville, on what is known as the Jack Stout farm, where he remained three years. In the fall of 1862 he purchased his present place and moved on to it April 4, 1863, where he has resided since. In October, 1877, Mr. Dunn, with his entire family, united with the Baptist church at Whitesville, J. D. Arnold pastor of the church at that time. Mr. and Mrs. Dunn have had sixteen children born to them, only three of whoin are living-James Wesley, born Feb. 14, 1858; Mary Elizabeth, born May 26, 1861; John William, born Jan. 23, 1863. They have had the sad misfortune to lose thirteen of their children, the most of them dying in infancy, and two at the ages of ten and twelve years respectively.
Rev. Joseph P. Ellis, third son and fourth child of William and Rebecca Ellis, was born Oct. 18, 1>11. His parents were born and reared in the city of Richmond and came to Kentucky early in the present century, buying a farm in Shelby County, near the old Dover Church. They had a family of six sons and six daugh-
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ters. Old Dover Church was named by his parents and grandpar- ents in honor of the church in Virginia from which they came. Joseph P.'s early education was obtained in the old log school- house. He attended school seven years, twelve months in the year, beginning when seven years old, S. H. Maddux, an old Virginia Baptist, being the teacher. When in his fifteenth year, May 31, 1826, he lost his mother. Before her death she called him to her and made him promise to seek religion and meet her in heaven, but it was not till the 16th of July following that he finally yielded and felt that his sins were forgiven. At that time he was very desirous of uniting with the church, but not carrying out his desire, he grew weaker in the faith and finally abandoned the idea till he should grow older. His father married Miss Elizabeth Miller, a woman in every way adapted to perform the duties she had assumed, and in the fall of 1829, having sold his farm in Shelby County, removed to Daviess County, and settled in the dense forest, unbroken save by the Litchfield road from Owens- boro, which was opened the spring before. They arrived here on Joseph's birthday. All hands went to work and in a short time had the ground ready to erect a building, and by calling help from the nearest neighbors soon after had a house to shelter them. The next season they managed to raise enough to live on, and by dint of hard work improved the land till they were able to live in com- fort, Joseph remaining at home till he was twenty-two years of age. In the fall of 1833 he and a sister returned to their na- tive county on a visit and he made arrangements to stay a year and attend to the business of an old acquaintance. In the summer of 1834 he went to work for Daniel Conley in the neighbor- hood of Buffalo Lick church, of which his employer was a mem- ber. In July the church at Bethel held a series of meetings for several days. His employer attended them and on his return would urge him to go, but he would put him off, telling him the wheat needed his attention. One Saturday about one o'clock his en- ployer came riding up and found that the wheat was all in the shock, and the hands lying idle under the shade trees. He ordered them to get ready to go to church with him at four o'clock. When on his way for his horse the questions, Where are you going? and What are you going for? were constantly suggested to Joseph's mind till he was distressed, and he was so impressed with the ne- cessity of prayer that he remembered nothing till he found him- self riding up to the house and rejoicing aloud. The family rushed
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out to see what was the matter. He had no difficulty in telling them as he had had the same happy feelings eight years before. He told the Deacon all his previous experience, beginning with his promise to his dying mother, and that night presented himself for membership in the church and was baptized the next day. In 1840 he was licensed to preach. In 1842 he became the pastor of Bell's Run church, and not long after was called to the pastorate of Mt. Pleasant church, Ohio County, receiving a salary of about $20 per year. In 1844 he accepted the pastorate of Panther Creek church, remaining with them till 1857 and receiving an average salary of $18 a year. During this time the membership increased from 90 to 200. In 1873 he returned to this church and served them five years, with a salary of $100 a year. In 1849 he took charge of Bethabra church and was their pastor eight years, receiv- ing $36 a year. At this time he was appointed by the Daviess County Mission Board, missionary in her field. From 1873-'75 he was pastor of the Bethabra church, retaining a salary of $240 a year. From 1867-'70 he was pastor of Zion Church. In 1854 he organized the church at Whitesville and was its pastor several years. During his pastorate of forty-five years he has baptized hundreds, and has seen new churches planted and grow where a few years ago it was a wilderness. Sixteen new churches have been built in the field of his labors and he has laid hands on six- teen young ministers. He was married in September, 1835, to Jane Taylor, of Ohio County. They have had two sons and five daughters. All grew to maturity, and became members of the Baptist church, Mr. Ellis baptizing his wife and the most of his children. His eldest daughter, Sallie M., died Jnne 6, 1870. The rest of his children are married and settled near the old homestead. Mr. Ellis has seventeen grandchildren, and two great-grandchil- dren.
Luther C. Ellis was born in Ohio County, Feb. 10, 1838, and is the second son of the Rev. J. P. Ellis. He attended the neighborhood schools dnring three months in a year, for a few years, and acquired a fair education, considering the advantages offered him. When he was twenty years old he went to Illinois, and remained ten months. He then returned to his home and stayed with his father till the war. In July, 1862, he enlisted in the Tenth Ken- tncky Cavalry, commanded by Colonel Johnson, mustered into ser- vice at Slaughterville, Webster Co., Ky., and attached to General Morgan's command. The principal engagements he was in were
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Madisonville, Ky .; Uniontown, where 387 Union prisoners were taken; McMinnville, Tenn .; Snow's Hill, Tenn .; Liberty, Tenn .; Milton Tenn., together with several skirmishes. At Ash- bysburg, Ky., in 1862, he, being in the town, was taken prisoner by a body of soldiers entering the town, and taken to Johnson's Island, Lake Erie, where he was confined three months, when he was exchanged. He then rejoined his regiment and remained with it about eight months. While confined at Johnson's Island he was taken sick, and not recovering, after his exchange, he obtained an unlimited furlough and returned to Kentucky. He went to Hancock County, near Hawesville, where he remained till 1869. He was married Jan. 10, 1865, to Amanda Estes, who was born in Hancock County, daughter of John M. Estes. . In the fall of the same year he was married Mr. Estes purchased a farm in Hancock County, where he lived till 1869. His wife died Sept. 15, 1869, leaving one son, John P. Ellis. After the death of his wife, Mr. Ellis sold his farm and came to Daviess and purchased his present place of 150 acres, adjoining that of his father's. He was married again, Feb. 1, 1871, to Sarah E. Stinnett, daughter of Joel Stinn tt, of Daviess County. They have two children-Joel R,, born May 16, 1873, and Jessie B., born Dec. 15, 1879. In 1878. Mr. Ellis united with the Baptist church, at Whitesville, his wife also being a member of the same church.
Thomas C. Floyd, born in Marion County, Ky., May 8, 1849, was a son of Zachariah D. and Mary J. (Gregory) Floyd, of the same county. They moved to Daviess County in October, 1855, and located in Whitesville. His father was a mechanic by trade, and died Sept. 6, 1879. Mrs. Floyd is still living, in her fifty-third year. They had two sons-Thos. C. and Hardin L. Thos. Floyd came to Whitesville with his parents when he was six years old; was educated here, and began in business for himself March 1, 1877. He opened a confectionery store on the north side of Main street, and was appointed Postmaster of Whitesville at the same time. In the fall of 1880 he opened a general store, where he is now doing business. When he first started in business he had comparatively nothing, and has met with a decided success. He has always been attentive to business and has not lost a day since he began. IIe was married Sept. 19, 1878, to Miss Rosa Mattingly, daughter of J. L. Mattingly, of Whitesville. They have two children-Ada and Virgie.
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George W. Hagan, son of Thomas C. and Tabitha (Wedding) Hagan, was born Oct. 14, 1828, in Nelson County, Ky, and in the spring of 1829 his parents came to Daviess County and settled near Whitesville. His father was a Catholic and took an active part in the establishment of the first church in this precinct. He died in March, 1876, his wife preceding him in October, 1860. They had a family of nine children. George W. was married in February, 1851, to Lucinda Van Russelberg, a native of Daviess County, born Nov. 9, 1831, a daughter of P. J. Van Russelberg After his marriage he bought a farm in Ohio County where he lived five years, and then sold it and bought the one where he now lives. Mr. and Mrs. Hagan have had fourteen children, eleven now living, seven sons and four daughters. Mr. Hagan is a meniber of the Catholic church.
Caleb Hule, M. D., born May 2, 1835, in Ohio Connty, Ky .; son of Caleb and Salle (Huff) Hale. His father was born in Virginia, and settled in Ohio County, Ky., in 1806, where he was married, his wife being a daughter of Charles Hnff, native of Mercer County, Ky. Both parents died in Ohio County, the father at the age of seventy six years, and the mother at the age of sixty-seven years. They reared a family of eleven children, fonr sons and seven daugh- ters, of whom two of the daughters afterward died; among the sons two of them have become practicing physicians -- Josiah Hale, of Owensboro, and Caleb Hale, of Whitesville. Dr. Hale, the sub- ject of this sketch, was reared in Ohio County. His education was commenced in the common district schools, but completed at Hart- ford, Ohio County, and Calhoon, McLean County, principally at the latter place. He began his medical studies in his sixteenth year, with his brother Josiah, who was then practicing in Ohio County. He took his first course of medical lectures at the Louis- ville University, in 1852, and graduated from this institution dur- ing the session of 1857-'8. He first began the practice of medicine in his twentieth year, at Fordsville, Ohio Co., Ky., before graduat- ing. In 1859 he moved to Yelvington, Daviess County; remained there, however, only a short time, when he moved to Calhoon, Mc- Lean County, where he stayed one year. In 1861 he came to Whites- vi le, where he has been engaged in the active practice of medicine ever since. When he was in his seventeenth year he united with the Baptist church. In 1856 he became identified with the Ma- sonic order, the Fordsville Lodge, Ohio County. He has been suc- cessful in his professional duties, and has had as large a practice as
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any man of his age in the county. He was married in 1856 to Sarah F. May, daughter of Isaac May, of Ohio County. They have had five children-Laura, deccased, wife of Rev. R. S. Fleming, who died leaving two little sons; Sue, Mattie, Sallie, and Virdie, who was drowned at the age of two years.
Meredith W. Hamilton, born Dec. 22, 1838, in Ohio County, Ky., is a son of Samuel and Louisa (Crow) Hamilton. He is the third of a family of nine children, six of whom are now living. His father died in 1852, and his mother is living with a danghter in Ohio County. His educational advantages were limited, being confined to the country schools. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted in Company D, Twenty-third Kentucky Infantry. He was in the battles of Shiloh, Pittsburg Landing, Nashville, Fort Anderson, and numer- ous skirmishes, and was mustered out in August, 1864. In 1866 he married Dielan, daughter of George Stephens, and went to farm- ing on the old homestead, remaining there till 1874, when he sold his farm, and bought one of ninety-nine acres in Daviess County. In February, 1883, he sold this place, and bought the farm where he now resides, of 112 acres, lying just outside of Whitesville. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have one daughter- Mary Margaret. They are members of the Catholic church.
Charles L. Haynes, born March 13, 1826, in Ohio County, Ky., is a son of John B. and Rhoda (Huff) Haynes. He was the youngest of a family of thirteen children, all of whom lived to manhood and womanhood. His mother died in 1845, and his father during the war. Charles L. lived at home till after the death of his mother, and then weut to Grayson County and lived with a brother two years. In 1849 he married Arena McBroom, a native of Daviess County, and settled on a farm in Ohio County on the borders of Daviess. In 1874 he came to Whitesville. He has been a member of the Baptist church since 1847. Mr. and Mrs. Haynes have had twelve children, six sons and six daughters, one of whom is deceased.
Henry R. Head, born in Knottsville Precinct, Daviess Co., Ky., Aug. 31, 1833, is a son of William and Hannah (Adams) Head, natives of Nelson County, Ky. His father died in 1838, and his mother in 1858. They had a family of twelve children, ten now living. Henry was but five years old when his father died, and when sixteen he began life for himself by working on a farm. In 1862 he enlisted in Company E, General Morgan's command. He was captured in 1862 at Hawesville, Ky., and taken to Jeffer-
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sonville penitentiary, where he remained about a week, and was taken to Camp Morton, Indianapolis, and kept two weeks. He was then taken to Johnson's Island, Sandusky Bay, and confined three months, and was then exchanged. He went to Cairo, and from there to Vicksburg, where he joined his command. From there he went to Mobile, then to Nashville, Tenn .; was in the engagement there. He was taken sick with the measles, and off duty two mouths. His next engagement was at McMinnville, Tenn .; thence to Snow Hill, Bowling Green, Ky., and Bardstown; was with Morgan in his raids in this part of the country. In 1863, when Morgan crossed the Ohio, Mr. Head went back and joined Bragg's forces, and after a month went to Louisville and surren- dered to the Federal forces, and was released by taking the oath of allegiance, and giving a bond of $3,000. In 1867 he was married to Elizabetlı Rhodes. They have one son-James E., born March 4, 1868. In 1868 he bought his farm near Whites- ville, where he still resides. He was reared in the Catholic faith and is a member of the Whitesville church.
James F. Hite, son of J. R. and Elizabeth (Evans) Hite, was bern Dec. 17, 1843, in Oldham County, Ky. His parents were both natives of Jefferson County. His father was born Jan. 31, 1824, and his mother April 25, 1825. They were married March 27, 1845, and removed to Oldham County, where they lived three years, and then came to Daviess County, landing in Owensboro Nov. 8, 1848. They located about seventeen miles east of Owens- boro, where Mr. Hite bought a farm of 280 acres. Mrs. Hite died April 3, 1856, leaving three children, two sons and a daugh- ter. In 1858 Mr. Hite married Dora, daughter of Jolin Cabo They had four children, two sons and two daughters. Mr. Hite resided on his farm, with the exception of three years, till after the death of his second wife, in 1875. He now resides with his son, James F. When fourteen years of age James F. Hite left home to earn his own livelihood, and worked for his uncle, B. S. Allen, till 1863, when he enlisted in the Confederate army, in General Forrest's command. IIe was in actual service only two or three months, as he was captured by the Union forces in Butler County, Ky., the year he enlisted. He was in prison about four months, and was released by giving bonds for $5,000, and paying $1,000, his grandfather, Francis Evans, paying the ransom money. He was released on condition that he remain North till the close of the war, which he did , returning to Kentucky by permission of
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Governor Palmer, after Lee's surrender. lIe went to his uncle's. B. S. Allen's, remaining there till 1866, when he commenced going to school, and four years later commeneed to teach a country school in Hancock County. In the latter part of 1876 he com- meneed business life, and, with W. Ford, opened a dry-goods and general store at Pleasant Ridge. While teaching school Mr. Hite spent leisure time in the study of pharmacy with Dr. J. W. Ellis, of Masonville, and at the end of a year in the dry-goods business he opened a drug store in Pleasant Ridge. In September, 187S, he bought the drug store of Mullen & Haynes, of Whitesville. and is now one of the enterprising and successful business men of the place. Mr. Ilite is a member of the Baptist church, and Superintendent of the Whitesville Sunday-school. May 21, 1872, he married Sarah Mobberly, a native of Daviess County, and a daughter of Peyton Mobberly. They have four children, two sons and two daughters.
Albert G. Howard was born in Lawrence County, Ohio, March 8, 1813. His parents were Edward and Frances (Adams) Howard, natives of Virginia. They have a family of eight children, Albert J. being the seventh. When four years old his father died. He then lived on the farm with his mother in Lawrence County, Ohio, until sixteen, when he went to Louisville, Ky., to his brother, Thomas J. Howard, who was running a bakery there. Albert G. learned the shoemaker's trade. In 1835, when some twenty-two years old, he went to New York City, and soon after shipped as a sailor on a surveyor's expedition to South America and remained one year, when, owing to ill health, he quit the sea. Ile went to Charleston, S. C., and worked four months at his trade. He then went to Columbia and remained four months, then to Nashville, Tenn., and remained two months, when he came on a visit to his brother, Thomas J. Howard, who had removed to Daviess Connty, Ky. He was persuaded by his brother to locate here. He re- mained with his brother one year. IIe married Sarah A. Shoe- maker, June 12, 1845. After his marriage Mr. Howard settled on a farm in Masonville Precinct. Remained some twelve years, then settled on a farm in Upper Town Precinet, on the Litchfield road, eight miles east of Owensboro, and remained nntil February, 1877, when he settled on his present farm in Boston Precinct. Mr. and Mrs. Howard are members of the Baptist church. They have had a family of fifteen children, twelve living-Cynthia G., born' June 6, 1846, is unmarried, and is teaching a school at Yelvington,
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Yelvington Precinct; Martha N., born April 26, 1847, is the wife of the Rev. W. H. Dawson, Baptist minister, and resides in Yel- vington; Emily L., born Nov. 20, 1850, is the wife of L. D. Flor- rence; Samuel W., born Aug. 17, 1852, is nnmarried, and is a practicing physician at Utah, Utah Territory; Nancy M., born Aug. 1, 1854, died an infant; Mary U. and William R. (twins) were born Aug. 17, 1855 (Mary is the wife of Thomas L. Kirk, and resides in South Hampton, Upper Town Precinct. They have one son-Charles L., born April 10, 1878. William R. is unmarried, and resides on the old homestead with his parent3); Sarah A., born Oct. 31, 1858, died June 15, 1877; Anna L., born Oct. 15, 1860, is unmarried and resides with her parents; Thomas M. and Price E. (twins) were born April 22, 1862 (Thomas M. is in Minneapolis, employed by the railroad company in repairing telegraph lines; Price E. is in the gold mines of Old Mexico); Eleanor, born Sept. 14, 1865; Gertrude, born Feb. 6, 1868, and James E., born April 30, 1869, all reside with their parents. Mr. Howard owns a fine farm of 100 acres, seventy nnder cultivation. He and wife are leading and representative members of the Baptist church. They joined the Bethabra church in 1843. Mr. Howard in politics was first a Whig, and since the organization of the Republican party has been one of its strongest supporters. Ho is a fair-minded, honest- hearted gentleman. He is of English descent. The first of the Howards came from England, and were among the first settlers of Virginia. Mrs. Howard was born in Shelby County, Va., Sept. 19, 1827, and was a daughter of Price E. and Cynthia (Patman) Shoemaker, natives of Virginia, who settled in Daviess County in 1828. They had a family of fourteen children.
Milton E. Jones was born Aug. 16, 1837, in Daviess County, about a mile from where he now resides. His father, William W. Jones, was a native of Virginia, born in 1814. His grandfather, Richard Jones, came to Kentucky at an early day and settled in Shelby County, and in 1832 came to Daviess County, locating in Masonville Precinct. William W. was the eldest of a family of seven children. He lived with his father till his marriage, in 1836, to Eleanor Bristow, a native of Shelby County, and a daugh- ter of Jasper Bristow. After his marriage he settled on the farm where his son James R. now resides, and where he lived till his death. He died January, 1870, and his wife Jan. 12, 1876. They had a family of seven children, all now living except one daugh- ter who died at the age of two years. Milton E. had very little
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opportunity of attending school. He was married May 12, 1859, to Cataline Persell, a native of Daviess County and a daughter of William Persell. In December, 1859, he bought a farm of 150 acres, where he still resides. In 1853 he united with the Bethabra Baptist church, and in 1880 transferred his membership to the Bell's Run Baptist church in Ohio County. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have ten children-Lucy E., wife of J. S. Martin; John W., mar- ried Mattie King; William R., married Belle Halstead; Beaure- gard D., James C., Jasper T., Reuben O., Lear A., Cora F. and Charles McO.
William H. Karn (deceased), born April 8, 1820, in Daviess Connty, was a son of Christopher and Leah (Boone) Karn. He was reared to manhood on the place, and was married Feb. 9, 1842, to Sallie Jackson. Mrs. Karn is a daughter of George Jackson, and was born in this county, and reared within five miles from where she now lives. After his marriage, by request of his father, William remained with him on the place till his death, which oc- curred in September, 1841. The estate was divided among the heirs, and the homestead place was left to William. During the war he was Captain of the State Gnards, and served almost through the entire war. He was appointed by the Government Captain of the company ; was in several skirmishes, and was wounded during one of the engagements at Slate Riffle, on Rough Creek, in Ohio County. A ball entered his body just under his left shoulder blade and lodged there, where it ever afterward remained. In conse- quence of this he always had poor health. He was a faithful man to his country, and never flinched from duty in the hour of peril. After the war closed he returned to his home and carried on the duties of the farm till the time of his death. He died April 9, 1882, after having lived sixty-two years on the place where he was born. The place is now in the possession of his widow, who with her only daughter is living there. Mrs. Karn is the mother of seven children, five sons and two daughters-Almina, deceased wife of William Bristow, who died leaving two children; Nancy E., wife of Richard Luckett, and the mother of three children; Josiah, married Julia Massey; Granville, married Elizabeth Jackson; George, James and Thomas are single. William Karn was a highly respected citizen of the community, a strictly upright and honest man.
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