Greene County, Indiana - Chapter 33: Personal - Correctiox, 1875

Chapter 33: Personal - Correctiox

^NE of the oldest and best citizens of Taylor township "svas Aunt Jane Wallace. Aunt Jane, as she was generally called, was a Scotch lady, having emigrated from Edinburg, Scotland. Iler maiden name was Jane liaig, a sister of old Uncle Jimmie Haig, who lived just oTcr in Martin county. When young, she married a man by the name of Summerville, by whom she had two sons - John and "William Summerville. Aunt Jane lost her husband (we can not recall just now how or when,) and afterwards married Uncle David Wallace, and lived to a good old age. Uncle David died, we believe, in March, 1855, and his wife (Aunt Jane) died sometime afterwards. Some twenty odd years ago, we made the acquaintance of the family, and were introduced to Mr. John Summerville and also to i\Ir. AVilliam Wallace. Having often heard John AVallace and William Wallace, John Summerville and William Summerville spoken of, we were lead to believe there were four boys in the family, when in reality there were but two - John Wallace and William Wallace, John Summerville and William Summerville constituting two instead of four pe\-sons - Wallace being their step-father and Summerville their real father.

John Wallace-Summerville married Miss Miranda Crook, daughter of Asa Crook. (By a mistake on the part of the copyist, the compositor, when setting up Ta3'lor township, page 75, was made to say Miss Miranda Brooks, daughter of Asa Brooks, instead of Crook, as it should have been.) They have seven children - two boys and five girls - all of Avhom are now, living. Mr. John Suramervilld is a well-to-do farmer, and resides in the southeast corner of the village of Scotland.

Jesse Cravens

came to Sercey's fort, in Kentucky, and afterwards married Rebecca .Jane Tarleton, a grand-daughter of old General Tarleton, the tory, came to Greene county in 1835. and settled in Bloomfield, and had twenty-one children - eleven boys and ten girls. Mr. Cravens died in 1817, in time of the high water, and was buried at the Joe West farm cemetery, in Fairplay township, Greene county.

James Stone

father of John A. Stone, was born in Surry county, North Carolina, and married Martha King, and they came to Greene county about forty-six years ago. They settled on Mr. Leonard Nicholson's farm; and when Mr. Stone built his first house the women folks cooked the dinner for the men at the house-raising out in the woods by the fire made against a big log heap, near where the men were raising the house.

John A. Stone was born in Surry county. North Carolina, and came with his parents to Greene county, forty-six yearfe ago. Mr. Stone married" Miss Elizabeth Cravens, a daughter of Jesse Cravens, near Bloomfield. She was one of a family of twenty-one children, and she can tell all about the early times and people in the neighborhood of Bloomfield. Mrs. Elizabeth Stone is a directdescendant of thenoted oldTarleton family of Revolutionrry memory. She is a great-grand-daughter of old General Tarleton, the tory ; but, unlike that remarkable personage, she is a true Union woman, with no signs whatever of tory blood in her veins. They have never had any children oi their own but adopted several others.

We append below the autobiography of Samuel Folsom,*a i)erson who will be remembered as having been a citizen of Owen county in its infancy and for a number ol years after. It was iuch men as hiii who gave tone and character to the courtty, and by whose judicious management the county soon took rank among the j'orraost in the State. By an examination of the county records, we find that he served as Justice of the Peace for ten years, and County Commissioner for a number of years. At that time, the Commissioners elected one for each township. His associates, for part of the time, "u-ere F. B. Johnson and Thomas Dunning, he being president of the Board. By a careful and attentive management of his business, he has become one of the solid financial men of the county, and, while enjoying the fruits of his labor, he is ever to helptUose who are in need. He is hale and hearty, and has a jirospect of living- his "three score and ten."

Samuel Folsoin says : I was born August 4th, 1801, in the town of Groton, State of !New Hampshire. I remained with my parents until February, 1819, following farming. I then went to Boston, Alassachusetts; thence to Florida and Mississippi. 1 remained there until the spring of 1827, and then took the steamboat at ISatehez, Mississippi, for the upper country, not knowing in wliatpart of the northAvest I should stop. On the Loat I fell in company with Captain John Johnson, Daniel Harris and Stephen L. jigger, of Owen county, Indiana. Captain Johnson being a social and pleasant man, he at once attracted my notice and respect as a stranger. I being without any acquaintances or friends on the boat or in the country, I at once sought his acquaintance and counsel. He informed me where he lived and of the country : it was new and needed settlers ; that the lands were rich ; plenty of it could be bought a4; one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. He pictured the White river country off so well that 1 concluded to come with him. AVc left the steamboat at Leavenworth, on the Ohio river, and walked all the way from there to

AVhite rivei*, Owen county, crossing that river a little below where Freedom now is. I located on the farm now owned by John Ritter, which,! bought from Captain John Johnson, one of my nearest neighbors. 1 married Hannah Nelson, in 1828, who died in 1826, and in 1848 I married Miss Sophia Davis, of Cincinnati, who is still living. The names of some ot the settlers were, Samuel Jackson, Sen., Luke Vaughn, Abner Light, Hugh Light, John and Cornelius Johnson, John Bowen, Sen., Caleb aSichols, Richard Bush, Joseph Genang, Joseph Freeland, John Ooley. Sen., Samuel Hicks, Sen., Joseph Hicks, Moses Hicks, Joseph Landrum, Thomas Harvey, Patrick White, Samuel Scott and Alexander Scott.

Stephen Barnes came and settled near- Rattlesnake creek, the same spring that I came. In the above I have, named the heads of families, and only those of Franklin township; perhaps not all of them, as my memory is bad. I believe all the above list are now dead except Hugh Light and Cornelius Johnson. 1 believe Thomas Harvey and Joseph Landrum were magistrates at that time. In a short time after I came. Circuit Court set in Spencer. I went and spent a week at court and witnessed an "Irish wedding" between Christopher Wilburn and Reuben Fullen - Fullen coming out second best. The officers of the court, as far as I can remember, were John Freeland, Clerk; Andy Evans, Sheriff; Whitcomb, Hester, Na3'lor and T. G. Adams, attorneys; John Dunn and Philip Hedges, hotel keepers, in Spencer. Some of the leading citizens of Spencer were David Johnson, J. R. Freeland, Samuel Howe, James Allison, John Dunn, James Galletly, John Galletly and Nathan Clark. That summer Lorenzo Dow preached in the court house, though not finished or near as large as it 1:^ now. As to roads, there was but few, and they poor and unfit for wheeled car-

ViageS as now used. There had been a rood opened from Indianapolis down White river to Vincennes, and the streams bridged, but Were all gone "when 1 came. From Indianapolis to Eel river the country was very hcttvily timbered and but very little cleared - now ahd then a small opening. All kinds of stock CDUld live in the woods with but little feed, therefore meat was plenty and cheap. Wild game was plenty. A man could supply his family with plenty of meat by the use of his gun. I have known large quantities of hogs to sell at one dollar andtwenty=-five cents per hundred, net, but the usual price was two dollars for many years. Cows from five to eight dollars; heavy steers, from seven to nine dollars ; corn, from twelve and a half to twenty-five cents per bushel; wheat, from twenty-five to fifty cents. As to tjje state of society, it was not what late customs would call refined. Ko school houses, no churches, but log cabins, and but few of them; no pub* lie schools. The men were rough in their manners, looks and dress, but hospitable and kind ; had an honest and kind heart, always ready to accommodate any one if in their power. If in need of help to roll logs or raise a cabin, if for a turn of corn, or a side of bacon, or anything else, they were always willing to share with you. Or if you wished a fist-fight they Would give you the best they had. The women were more refined and neat in their appearance, and equally kind and very industrious. Men were not so constantly at work, but spent much of their time in fun, such es shooting-matches, foot racing, pitching quoits, etc., in which whisky was an accompaniment and the fountain of their pleasure, in which things I never participated! Most all of us lived in little log cabins with mud chimneys, and often dirt floors. I left Owen county in the year 1850, and came to Greene county, where I have since resided. We now live in Worthington. My health is rather feeble. 1 am seventy-four years old to-day, August 4th, 1875, and my weight is about tAvo hundred and twenty poundsi I have never had a fight or a charge of crime of any kind brought against me, either in the courts or in my church, and I have been a membei' of the Metho-" dist. Episcopal chui'ch for near fifty years past.

Ira Danley

Old Uncle Ira Danley, of Eel Riv» er township, is sixty-nine years old, and was born in Surrey county. North Carolina. His parents died when he was but six years old, and he was cast out into society o£ that early age, among the old Friend Quakers, lie was raised by William Dunnegan, and they came to White river and settled near the mouth of Eel river. He married Miss Olive jessup and they had thirteen cbil* dren, raising twelve of them to be men and women - six boys and six ^irls. We yet see Old Uncle Ira Danley among us. He is now a Avid' ower, and casts one eye at the pleas^ ant class of weeping widows.

Uncle Robert Scott, of Point Coraffierce, was born in Venango county, Pennsylvania, and moved to Greene county, thirty-six years ago. He is a very modest, unassuming gentle^ tnan and a good citizen. He carries his age well. He is now in his sixty ninth year, and looks as though he Was good for two or three decades yet. He has recently married again and commenced life anew.

Was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, September 22, 1829, was the youngest of a family of eleven children, arid moved with his father to Knox coun^ ty, Indiana, in the Spring of 1836. His father. Colonel Robert Benefield, was the oldest son ot Colonel John Benefield, who was a delegate from Knox county (when Knox, Greene, Sullivan, Davis, Clay and Vigo countiees were all Knox) to frame the first tonstittttion for the Stale. The Doctor was left an or])han when young, his father dying when he was eight and his mothef he was thirteen years oki. He may be said to be a self-made man. lie graduated in medicine at the Ohio Medical College, February 87^ 1^53. In November, same year, he married Miss Sarah P. Johnston^ of Wytheville, Virginia. They had a family of ten children, six boys and four girls, haying lost three girls -and one boy in Jntancy. He had th« ffllsfoi'tune to lose his excellent A^ife December 19, 1871, and has nevef married since. He has five sons and one daughter living, and she is the youngest, being now eight years old. The Doctor tiame to Greene county Apfll, 1854, lived four j'ears at Scotland and in 1858 moved to where he now lives at Marco.

was born in North CafoHtia, and married Miss Rhoda DunnegAn. They came to Greene county in the year 1818 and settled in Eel River township. Mr. Clark and wife had twelve children, seven boys and five girls.

Folomon Carmichael

is the oldest man now living in Center township. He was born in Stokes County, North Carolina, June 27, 1794, was married at the age of seventeen years, and then come to Greene county as one among the old pioneer brush-choppers, ^lr. Cartiiichael has had tNVo wives and twelve children. He is now eight^'-oneyears old.

was born in Mercer county, Kentucky, in 1802, and \i a member of a family of ten children - four boys and six girls. He came to Indiana on a batteau, in 1822, and settled in Highland township, Greene county. He \N-as married in Marion county, Indiana, in May, 1829. His wife 8 name v-as Sarah Negley. They have eight children living. There is no romance connected with his marriage*

ELI mxsoNj son of Solomon and Sarah Dii'^Oiij was born in the year 1769, in A^ir^ ginia, near the Blue Ridge, and cmi' grated to Georgia, near Augusta ^ where he married Rebecca Hart, in the year 1799, and moved to Preble county, Ohio, in the year 1800, and settled in what is now called Dixson township. He being the first settler in the township it was called Dixsoii township, his nearest neighbor being twelve miles distant. He rcmflinea there about twelve years, during which tittle he cleared him a farm and filled a prominent place in the set^ tling up of the neighborhood^ served as a justice of the peace a portion of the time, flttd -v^ns noted for always being able to settle difficulties between neighbors without going to law. He moved to Greene county, lu'diana, in the year 1818, and settled in Smith township, in said county, where he improved a farm and carried out his profession as a farmer to a considerable extent, in raising grain, -which enabled him to be of help to his neighbors and others in a newly settled country, and, as was stated by Martin Wines some years since, in a publication in the Wltife River Valley Times, as a history of the first settling of Greene county, " among other things he was noted for hia liberality and benevolence in helping such as were not able to help themselves." If a person would go to him and tell him he was out of bread, and had no money to buy with he was sure of a grist of corn or wheat. He served two terras in the State legislature as representative of the people of Greene, Owen and Putnam counties, the Legislature then sitting in Corydon. He died respected by all Avho knew him March 9th, 1836, aged sixty-six years and six months. He had six brothers and three sisters, viz: Samuel, John, Joseph, Henry, Solomon and Stephen were the brothers, and Ruth, Sarah and Elizabeth his sisters.

Eli Dixson, in Greene county, Indiana, and was buried on his farm, his grave being the first in -what is now known as the Dixon grave-yard, Au

Eli and Rebecca (senior), Samuel, Solomon, Sarah, Rebecca, Eli, James, Phineas, William and Pryor, all being buried in the before mentioned. Dixson graveyard, including which there was about four acres of ground, deeded to the Trustees of Smith township (for use as a public burying ground) by Stephen and Amanda Dixson, his. wife.

Hart, and was born in Georgia, near ! Stephen and John, are living. Augusta, September 2(1, 1779, died I Stephen moved to Warren county, Oct 1st, 1852, aged seventy-one years I Ills., in 1854, and settled on the raileleven months and twenty-nine days, jitary tract, in the ^Mississippi valley, She had four brothers, viz: W^illiam, | when it was almost one vast prairie, Isaac, Thomas and Phineas ; two half i but never forgot his first love, and brothers, viz: Amosand Jerry Greene I made annual visits to the old home

Eli and Rebecca's flimily consisted of eight sons and three daughters, viz : Samuel, Sarah, Solomon, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Eli, Stephen, John, Phineas, William and Pryor.

stead, which he owned until 1873, when, with many regrets, it was conveyed to strange hands, having been in possession of father and son about fift}-five years.

John F. Allison

a resident of Point Commerce, is a native of the state of Kentucky, was born in Bourbon county on the 10th of July, 1814. His parents emigrated from the State of iMaryland in an early day, crossing the mountains with teams, striking the Ohio river at AVheeling, Virginia, Avhere, in company with others from the same State, they constructed a rude boat, and floated down the Ohio river, landing near the mouth of the Kentucky river. There they disembarked, put their Avagons and teams in order, and hauled their effects to the aforesaid county.

Early in life, John B. Allison, the father of John F., though raised up with the institution of slavery, became convinced that the institution

Eternal Truth, and th;it it was wicked in him to uphold it. Acting upon this conviction, in the Spring of 1819 he liberated his slaves, and moved to Monroe county, in the State of Indiana. His slaves ^Yere much attached to their master and famil}', and two young men came with them, remaining for many years with different members of the family.

In politics, the Allison family were biased in favor of the Old Whig party, and so continued throughout the existence of that party. The elder boys, Noah and James Allison, were the first to set up a mercantile business in Bloomington, Monroe county, and in Spencer, Owen county, were the first to commence the sending of produce of the country to the markets of the South in flat boats on White river, and continued the same from 1828 to 1856.

J. F. Allison went into partnership with his brother J. M. H. Alli- Fon in the year 1832, in the mercantile and produce business in Spencer, and continued with him until 1846, supplying the larger portions of the counties of Owen, Clay, and part of Monroe and Greene with the staples of commerce, taking in return the produce of the country, shipping it to the southern markets, and on receiving their returns, paying all the taxes of their customers ; this being the only means of raising money to defray county and State expenses.

In the year 1835 they purchased the lands at the junction of White and Eel rivers, and laid out the old town of Point Commerce, built a store-house, opened a stock of goods on the 17 th day of November of that year, and from that time on sold goods to a large scope of country for many years, their average purchases being about thirty thousand dollars annually, selling all on time, and receiving their pay in produce.

As it required room and men to transact such a business, they called to their assistance and employ upon an average, at least fifty to one. hundred men continually. They first erected a steam saw and grist mill at the mouthx)f Eel river in 1836, next built a pork house and a large ware house for the reception of small grain and tobacco, not unfrequently inspecting and shipping the product of from two thousand to four thousand hogs, and from two hundred to four hundred of tobacco, and all- other kinds of produce, requiring upon an average from fifteen to twenty-five boats to send off the annual products of the country.

During this period, the subject of our sketch, J. F. Allison, took charge of the out-door business, and _as steadily as the years rolled around, make his trips south and from thence east in charge of the river interest. In the year 1839 he was elected to the House of Representatives from the county of Greene, over two opposing candidates, and served, as history informs us, with credit to himself and constituents.

At that time there stood out in bold relief upon the statute books of the young state a law imprisoning her citizens for debt, and at that session the law was repealed, our young representative Avinning to himself great honor for his firm and unwavering advocacy for its repeal. This made him some political enemies, but many more friends. In the year 1840, he took the field, (though not a candidate) and advocated the election of Wm. Henry Harrison over Martin Van Buren, the incumbent of the Presidential chair, doing signal service as one of the many orators of the day. In 1841, the Whig party, composing the Senatorial district of the counties of Owen^ and Greene, in convention at Point Commerce, offered him the nomination as their candidate for the Senate, which he declined, not wishing to identify himself wholly to any exclusive party organization. In 1842 he was again elected to the House of Representatives from Greene county by a large majority. His opponent, John F.

O'Neal, being a Democrat, "dyed in the wool," and the county largely Democratic. Resting one year, again in 1844 he "was elected to the Senate from the counties of Owen and Greene, his opponent being the same John F. O'Neal whom he had. defeated before. He served in the Senate for a period of three years, and was one of the advocates of the great compromise measure, known'as the Butler Bill, which became a law; the result of which all readers of the history of the young State, and those of his generation can testify, saved the State from bankruptcy and laid the foundation for her present greatness.

There were many reforms introduced into the State during his connection with the lav.' making power, which cannot be introduced here for the want of space; yet, there is one worthy of a place which we will mention. The constitution provided for the election of all State officers b}' joint ballot of both Houses of the Legislature, and the election also of circuit judges and prosecuting attorneys. The subject was introduced into the legislature to so change the mode as to make all these appointments directly by the people at the ballot box» Thisj by many men, was looked upon as being an innovation which would result in perfect anarchy and confusion, filling our State offices andjudges' seats with demagogues, directly from among the rabble. The change was made, the result being the opposite of such fears; and now while the rising generation read of the once existance of such laws, they are astonished at such credulity and short-sightedness among our fathers. In this measure, with many other reforms, Mr. A. was a conspicuous advocate, both at home, among his constituents and in the halls of the State Legislature. At the conclusion of this term in the Senate he gave up politics and turned his attention to trading in and improving real estate.

He bought and sold nearly all the prairie and timber land west and south of the town of Worthington, and done much by a system of draining in reclaiming lands which had been thought worthless. He made the farms now owned by the follow ing parties : Putnam McKissick5 Hastin Owen, the great farm then known as the Freeman farm, centaining near a thousand acres, but now cut up into many. Also the farm now owned by Mr. Shaw aud W. Watson, and several other smaller farms on the uplands. He was always an advocate for inter= nal improvements based upon individual enterprise, and made great sacrifices in money, time and proper* ty in endeavoring to bring about the great (Air Light) straight line railroad scheme. His losses was much time and money spent in traveling, with an addition of twelve hundred acres of land valued at S8,000, but now worth five timea more than that sum. Also in the first attempt to get a railroad from Indianapolis to Vincennes, known as the Southwestern, He lostnear one year's time as Secretary of the Board of Directors, paying his own expen* ses with an additional advance of over one thousand dollars, all of which was a dead loss. When the I. & Y. road was first projected he gave it m.uch time and aided pecuniarially with a donation of S1,000. In short he has ever been among the first in all enterprises designed for the advancement of the commercial and agricultural interests of this portion of the State, and a liberal donor to all moral and religious en* terprises, and is still in our midst ready to lend a helping hand to all laudable enterprises, so far as he is able, for the advancement of the higher interest of community at large, and the spread of those great truths which alone can make us a prosperoua and happy people.

who %vas one of the early settlers of Point Commerce, Tvas born in Essex county, l^e-vv York, in 1812, came to this county in 1839, and in company with Dayton Topping, engaged iri mercantile business. He v.as married in 1840, to Mr. Topping's sister, a most estimable Avoman as a Avife, mother and useful Christian member of society. Mr. Andrews continued his business in Point Commerce until the opening of the Wabash & Erie canal, when, in company with C. J. liarrackman, he laid out the town of ^Vorthington, and brought the first stock of goods that was opened in that town. During his residence in Point Commerce, he was elected a Justice of the Peace, and held the office continuously there and in ^Yorthington for a quarter of a century. Mr. Andrews is now si^ty- three years old, and apparently just in the prime of life ; executes more deeds, mortgages, contracts, etc., than any other man in Greene county, and is the President of the Worthington bank.

John Layerty

though not an early settler ot Greene county, was born in 1822 in Parke county, near the Wabash river. His father settled eighteen miles north of Terre Haute, in 1819, when white inhabitants were not more than onetenth as numerous as red men.

The subject of this sketch is the third of five brothers, and had five sisters who lived to mature age. He was one among the early graduates of Indiana Asbury University, at Greencastle. "Was the first editor of the first weekly newspaper published in Mooresville, Morgan county. Said paper was called the Mooresville Chronicle. He represented Morgan county in the Legislature during the long session in 1851-52, the first session under the new constitution. Having enjoyed a complete surfeit of political honors during that long drawn out session, he declined a second race for Legislative honors. In

1853, he entered the ministrj', . In which calling he continued fourteen years ; after which he retired with broken health and spent some years in teaching. "While thus engaged, he was elected to take charge of the mathematical department in the high school at Point Commerce, in January', 1871, since which time he has been a citizen of Greene county. AYid, judging from the manner^in which he is fixing up his little cottage home in Worthington, he must expect to remain a citizen of the "free State of Greene," the great center of creation.

Uncle Jack Baber

is a bachelor, on the shady-side of fifty years of boyhood, and was born in Richland township, Greene county, Indiana, on Saturday, the lOth day of Februarv, 1821, at dinner time ! He was raised in Clay county, on the old Baber farm, at the Cofi'ee post office place, fifteen miles from "Worthington. Uncle Jack has had two brothers and two sisters, and one of the brothers died in 1855, and one of the sisters died many years ago. His brother, "William "W. Baber, and his sister, Mrs. Emiline Fires, both live in Greene county. Uncle Jack Baber is a common farra» er and market gardener, and has recently established a first-class agricultural fair ground and exchange trade, for all kinds of choice poultry, fine hogs, evergreen shrubbery, and ornamental trees, at Worthington, Greene county, Indiana.

is a native of Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and is now in his fifty-ninth year. He emigrated to Owen count}', Indiana, in August, 1854, and engaged in farming. He removed to Worthington in 1872, and embarked in the mercantile business, and by strict attention to his business has secured a good patronage.

George W. Lang Worthy

He came to Indiana thirty-six years ago, and settled at Terre Ilautc. He is one ot our pioneer merchants, having commenced business in Worthington in I860. He has been very successful, and has accumulated considerable property.

wcisborn in Flemming county, Kentucky, in 1816, and moved to Greene county, Indiana, in 1825, began business for himself in 1850, and is now oneof our mostprosperouo merchants. By honesty and strict attention to business, he has made some money and many friends. We are not apprised of the date of his marriage, but suffice it to say that in his wife, ]\irs. A. M. S. Harrah, who was born in Milford Centre, Union county, Ohio, in 1817, all causes having the good welfare of mankind at heart, have always found in her a true "friend. She is a staunch advocate of the cause of temperance, and her voice and her pen are ever ready to defend the good cause.

James Mcc'Jtchan

JAMES MCC'JTCHAN is a common farmer and a bachelor on the nold side of fifty years of age. lie was born in Highland township, and has always lived and worked on the same old farm, seven miles east of Worthington. We hear his neighbors say that he is an honest man, and that he minds his own business and lets other people's aifairs alone.

K. B. OSBORN was born in Cayuga county. New \'ork, and came to Indiana in 1842. lie was first engaged as superintendent of the Wabash & Erie canal, from Lafayette to Evansville. He came to Greene county in 1849, and is now engaged in the hotel business. He is fifty-three years of age.

William 11. Osborn

WILLIAM 11. OSBORN is from the "same county and State, came to Greene county in 1859, and was one of the contractorson the canal. He has been engaged in various branches of business, and has had many ups and downs in life. He has amassed a considerable amount of property, and is now engaged in the mercantile business. He was born April 3d, 1822.

was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, June 30th, 1830, and came to Greene county, Indiana, in April, 1855. He graduated as doctor of medicine in Cincinnati, Ohio, February, 1857* Served as Captain in the 31st Indiana volunteers, and afterwards as surgeon of the 14th Indiana's, during the war of the rebellion. His wife having died in 1871, he was married the following year to a daughter of Jonas Smith, of Evansville, Indiana. At this writing, the doctor is engtig' ed in the drug business at Worthington, Greene county, Indiana.

Robert Baber

is a native of North Carolina, and a hatter by trade in his younger days, and he was one of six children - four boys and two girls. He" came from Surry county, North Carolina, to Pulaski county, Kentucky, married Miss Katie Wiles, and they came to Greene county, Indiana, on horse* back (pack horse,) and stopped with an old Quaker friend - Timothy Jessup - who had came the year before (1818,) and settled in the northeast corner of Richland township, on the old John S> Moore farm, where Henderson Sarver nov/ lives. I\Ir. Baber was one of the hands in building the old Welton mill, on Richland creek, fifty-five years ago. A few years afterwards, several of the old pioneers from that neighborhood went out to hunt about the Lone Tree prairie and Rawley's mill, on Eel river - being a great place for game up there, and very sparsley settled.

Robert Baber bought a little Congress improvement of John Saver-ree, and shortly afterwards moved over into Clay county. He planted six acres of corn, in the year 1828, and lost it by the high waters in the bottoms. He then built a small log house on the Terre Haute road, fifteen miles from Smith's ferry, and lived there nearly fifty years. The old man and his wife are both dead, and are buried in the Woodrow Bluff cemetery, one mile from Coffee postoffice. - bid Uncle Robert Baber was eightj'-one years of age, at the time of his death, and his wife sixty-four.

^as born in Nicholas county, Kentucky, on the 16th day of July, 1816. He came to Monroe county, Indiana, with his father and family in October, 1818 ; was educated at the State Uniyersity, at Bloomington, where he attended from 1834 to 1837, and studied medicine under Dr. W. C. Foster. He took his first course of lectures in the winter of 1839-40, at the Transylvania University, Kentucky. He practiced medicine at Ellettsville one year, in 1840. He moved to Bloomficld, Greene county, in 1841, where he practiced most of his time till 1851. During that year he attended a course of lectures at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, where he graduated in medicine. He settled in IVorthington, Greene county, in June, 1853, where he has resided and practiced his profession most of the time since. In 1861, he was commissioned by Governor 0. P. Morton, as surgeon of the 43d regiment of Indiana volunteers, in which capacity he served nearly one year, but had to resign, owing to ill health. AVhcn he first came to this county, there were not more than seven hundred voters. Most of the people lived in log cabins. Deer, turkeys and squirrels were very abundant. Hunting game was carried on by nearly all of the settlers, and wild meat was very plentiful. Kearly every body dressed in homespun garments. The cost of living was but little. He has lived to see the population increased to over five thousand voters. Large farms and handsome houses have been made all over the county. School houses have been erected in the subject of this sketch, is a citizen of Worthington, and engaged in the restaurant business, has been a man of active business habits for many years, was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, in the year 1820. He lived on a farm until 1837, when he commenced working at the carpenter . business, in 1839 he came with his father to Martin count}'', Indiana, and continued to work at his trade in Martin and Lawrence counties until 1846, when he engaged in the mercantile business in Harrisonville^ Martin county, a place of much promise on account of the mineral springs. In 1848 he was married to Miss Ann McBride, who was born in Carroll county, Ohio. He was very successful in business for many years. He made several trips to New Orleans with produce, taking in exchange for other goods. In 1855 he commenced gambling in hogs, which was continued for four years, which soon swept away all he had accumulated by close application to business. Since that time he has not been able to look two kinds of hogs in the face with any degree of allowance^ the porcine and the biped. The same year was the sickliest that he has anj'- knowledge of; he having been appointed by the Commissioners of Martin county as asafe person to sell intoxicating liquors in Mitchelltree township under the then existing law. He finds on examination that he commenced on the 4th of August and closed on the 10th day of December following, made 776 sales for medicinal purposes, and 6 for mechanical. The Judge of the Court required two gallons during one term of court for medicinal purposes.

til the year 1869, -when he removed to "VVorthington, where he was employed for two years to superintend the interest of Proser, a partner in the saw-mill business with J. A. Barker. In the year 1871, he acted as marshal for the town of Worthington, and Constable for Jefferson, Eel River and Fairplay townships, for which he ever prays for forgiveness. He lost his wife in 1873, since wliich time he has been diligently engaged in the restaurant business.*