Greene County, Indiana - Chapter 27, 1875

I'E AVILL give, as some of the first settlers of Cass township, the following noted charncters : Isaac Doan, Mr. Howell, old father Riehey and sons, David, Barney, Daniel, Pleasant and William Richey. Afterwards came William B^'num and sons, Samuel, John D., Daniel A., William and James Bynum. Old Uncle John O'Neal, Benson Jones, Peter R. Lester, old father John Slinkard and sons, Andrew, Frederick, Moses, Henry, John, Daniel and all the rest ; Robert Clark, from New York State, Abner Bogard, Sa!<nuel Ewing, the hatter, Warren D. Lyles, Bazil Lyles, Nathan Chandler, Joseph Reals, Doctor Dennis, and others.

Mr. Doan settled at the big weeping willow, in the field belonging to Mrs. Hattabaugh, near the bridge, on the north side of the creek, near where old man Richey built the little water mill.

Henry O'Neal, father of William and John F. O'Neal, came from South Carolina, Newbury District, and- settled on the Scomp place, and remained there two years, after which he moved over in Daviess county.

Henry F. O'Neal Married Mary Miles, and raised twelve childrenseven boys and five girls. John F. O'Neal married Anna Chandler, daughter of Nathan Chandler, and they had seven children.

Mr. John F. O'Neal was among the leading party politicians in Greene county, and was a member of the State Senate andHonse of Representative?, several times ; but being raised a Quaker, and the old, timehonored Quaker religious creed being 3'et in the ascendancy, and when Col. Fremont was the Abolitionist candidate for President, Mr. O'Neal changed his vote, and cast the only

The old time preachers were, old John O'Neal, the Friend Quaker, the old Mormon Prophet, Joe Smith, the founder of the old Mormon Church, at the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, Joe Wilson, Wm. Plusky, Ephraim Hall, and Mr. Lynn. Old Wm. Roach, just over in Daviess county, must not be omitted here, as we have been told that he was a very noted man, seventy-five years old, six feet and seven inches high, and had the biggest feet of any white man in this country. - He always had to send to Louisville, Kentucky, for numberfourteen boots, every time he wore anything except Indian moccasins. He would cut five acres of wheat with a scythe and cradle for a day's work.

James Madison O'Neal was born in Newbury District, South 'Carolina, and came to Greene county over forty years ago. He married Miss Sophia Bynum, daughter of W^illiam Bynum. Six children was the result of their union - three boys and three girls. After the death of his first wife, he married Miss Ellen McElroy, Mr. O'Neal is a well-to-do farmer, and a manufiicturer of tobacco, and lives on the farm where Hugh O'Neal settled, nine miles from Blcomfield, on the Newberry road.

Old Father Richey settled on the creek, about a mile above the Doan place, on the Lester fiirm. The old man and all of the family were members of the Methodist church, and theRichey boys were the most active, stoutmeninall the country. At three jumps, they could make forty feet forward or thirty fee^ backward, with the greatest of ease.

William Bynum and sons settled at the Widotv Bynum place, at an early day, where the wife now lives. One of the boys, while carrying purakinsout of the corn field, on a sharp stick, in climbing a fence, the pumkins slipped off of one end of the stick, and by some means the stick was run through his body, killing liini 'almost instantly. Old John O'Neal settled just^cast of Newberry, X)u the well know^ 'O'N'mI home- Stead farm. Mr. O'Neal was a noted ^Id Friend Quaker preacher^ and his iiouse was the hora^e fof 'all the old Indians and preaqhers for many yoars. He entered the most land and made the best farm, and entertained all of Xhe candidates in this pftrt of the Stale; and it was also a stoppingplace for ull tire old^Vi-li^e judges, lawyers, preachers, propliete and disciples, Jews and Gentiles.

Old Benson Jones and family settled at the place where l)r. Stoddard now lives, near Newberry. Mr. Jones has passed to the other world many years ago. John Jones married Miss K*?tie Stalcup) of Highland town- Mr. Jones died in Cass township, with the milk-sick, several years since, a-^d the widow after- -wards married Mr. )3allard. He has uho gone beyond the river of death. Old Aunt Katie Ballard is a very industrious woman, and a aoted old weaver of good cloth.

Peter K. Lester was born in 8outh Carolina, and married Miss Hainey O'Neal, and they came to Greene county iti 1819. Mr. Lestef and wife were the pai^ents of five children, and they Ijve One fiiilc cast t>f dewberry. He is now elglity-nv^ years old, and yet makes common contracts for five or ten years to come.