Hamilton County, Indiana - Biographical sketches, 1915 (part 9 of 14)

Oscar J. Musselman

Scientific farming finds an able exponent in the person of Oscar J. Musselman, who is now successfully operating one hundred and sixty acres in Wayne township, Hamilton county, Indiana. He comes from sterling German ancestry and has, as have all other German farmers of this county, prospered most gratifyingly. Mr. Musselman is a man of progressive ideas and stands for everything which means the betterment of his community.

Oscar J. Musselman, the son of John and Mary (Kauffman) Mussel¬ man, was born in Wayne county, Indiana, January 17, i860. His father was born in Germany about 1828, and came to America when eighteen years of age. He first located in Ohio and later moved across the line into Wayne county, Indiana, and while living in the latter county, married Mary Kauff¬ man, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and was the daughter of Valentine Kauffman and wife, both of whom were natives of Germanv.

John Musselman was a carpenter by trade and while living in Wayne county, gave all of his time to cabinet making. After his marriage in Wayne county, John Musselman moved to Owen county, Indiana, but two years later permanently settled in Hamilton county, Indiana, where he bought a farm in the northwestern part of Wayne township. He continued to operate this farm until his death, although he worked more or less at the carpenter trade all the time. He and his wife were loyal members of the Lutheran Church, and interested in all the works of the church. His death occurred on March 26, 1894, and his wife died February 4, 1898. John Musselman left a family of five living children: David Henry, Oscar J., George W., Francis M. and Mrs. Mary Odelia Wiles. The history of Francis M. Mussel¬ man appears elsewhere in this volume.

Hamilton county, Indiana, and consequently received all of his education in this county. He remained at home until his marriage and then began farm¬ ing for himself. He first bought eighty acres of the farm where he is now living, but did not move to it until about a year after his marriage. Later he added to his original farm until he now owns one hundred and sixty acres, which lies in the eastern part of Wayne township.

Oscar J. Musselman was married December 9, 1883, to Hattie M. Paulsel, the daughter of George, Sr., and Lydia (Cupp) Paulsel, and to this union five children have been born, two of whom are living, Ola C. and Jesse L. A pair of twins died when young. Ola married Jessie Males, and has four children, Alma, Harry, Eva and Ruth. He lives on a farm just north of his father's place. Jesse L. married Mary Brown and lives south¬ east of Clarksville.

George Paulsel, Sr., the father of Mrs. Musselman, and a pioneer farmer of Wayne township, Hamilton county, Indiana, was born in Rock¬ ingham county, Virginia, July 1, 1832, and died at his home in Wayne town¬ ship, this county, November 27, 1870. He was a son of John and Margaret ( Smith) Paulsel, natives of Virginia, of Scotch-Ii^ish and German ancestry. John Paulsel died in 1856. George Paulsel, Sr., was married February 22, 1855, to Lydia Cupp, who was born in Augusta county, Virginia, April 11, 1833, a daughter of Frederick and Catherine Cupp. A few months after his marriage George Paulsel and his bride came to Hamilton county, Indiana, traveling from Virginia overland in a wagon. He has previously visited the county and had entered some government land, the tract where his son, George, is now living in the northwestern part of Wayne township. When he and his wife got within sight of their new home they could get no farther because of the high waters and had to remain camped in the forest until the waters receded. Much of his land was swampy and grown up in wil¬ lows, and it took a great deal of hard work in order to drain and clear the land. He started in with sixty-two acres, only a part of which was cleared, and the log cabin which he built and which became their first home stood until a few years ago. Later Mr. Paulsel built a good house and barn and got his farm in such a shape that it yielded satisfactory returns. He took an active interest in public affairs, and at one time served as trustee of Wayne township. He was kicked by a horse in November. T870, and died before the end of that month. He and his wife were consistent members of the Christian Church. George Paulsel, Sr., and wife were the parents of nine children, four of whom died in infancy, the others being as follows: Edith, who died at the age of twelve, October 25, 1880; Anna, who ,died

April 16, 1907, at the age of forty; Mrs. Elizabeth Lehr, of Clarksville, In¬ diana; Mrs. Hattie Musselman, of Wayne township, wife of the immediate subject of this sketch ; and George Paulsel, Jr., who is now living on the home farm in Wayne township.

Mrs. Paulsel was married October 24, 1872, to Fleming Scearce, and they lived on the .Paulsel farm until 1892, when they moved to Noblesville, where they lived until the death of Mr. Scearce, February 18, 1898. One son was born to this marriage, Carah H. Scearce. After the death of her second husband Mrs. Scearce lived at Clarksville until her death, which oc¬ curred May 1, 1911, at the age of seventy-seven.

George Paulsel, Sr., had two brothers who were well known in this county, Peter and John. Peter was a farmer and lived in Noblesville many years. He married Eliza Burroughs, who survives him and is now living in Noblesville. John lived south of Clarksville, in Wayne township, for many years, but is now a resident of Indianapolis.

Mr. Musselman is a Democrat in politics, but has always preferred to devote his time and energy to his agricultural affairs rather than engage in political matters. He and his family are devoted memliers of the Christian church. He takes a deep pride in keeping everything about his farm in good repair, with the result that his farm always presents a very neat and attractive appearance. He gives his unqualified approval to all public-spirited measures and has always stood for the best interests of his community.

George W. Drake

It is generally considered by those in the habit of superficial thinking that the history of so-called great men only is worthy of preservation, and that little merit exists among the masses to call forth the praises of the historian or the plaudits and the appreciation of mankind. A greater mis¬ take never was made. No man is great in all things. Many by a lucky stroke achieve lasting fame who before that had no reputation beyond the limits of their immediate neighborhoods. It is not a history of the lucky stroke which benefits humanity most, but of the long study and effort which made the lucky stroke possible. It is the study of the preliminary work, the method, that serves as a guide for the success of others. Among those in Hamilton county who have achieved success along steady lines of action is George W. Drake, a member of the Milling Company of Sheridan, Indiana.

George W. Drake, the son of Robert B. and Melissa (Teller) Drake, was born in Brown county, Ohio, January 25, 1847. His parents, both of whom were natives of Ohio, reared a large family of children, six of whom grew to maturity. These children in the order of their birth are as follows : Louise, Josiah W., Lucena; Melissa, George W., Clara, Laura F. and one who died in infancy. Louisa first married Alexander Cooper, and after his death, William P. Harbaugh, who is also now deceased; Josiah W., a vet¬ eran of the Civil war, is now living in Muncie, Indiana; Lucena, deceased, was the wife of Jacob Oberleas, of Sheridan; Melissa died in 1861, at the age of eighteen years ; George W., the fifth child in the family, is the present representative of the family in Sheridan, and the immediate subject of this sketch; Clara married Harvey Pickett and lives at Baker's Corner, this county; Robert B. is a resident of Denver, Colorado; Arminda first married Henry White, and after his death she married John Cooper, of Marshall county, Indiana; Laura F. is the wife of L. E. Jay, a prosperous farmer of Adams township, this county.

Robert B. Drake, the father of George W. Drake, was born and reared in Brown county, Ohio, and as a young man followed the occupation of farming. Later he engaged in the flat-boating business on the Ohio river, making fifteen trips from Higginsport to New Orleans on flat boats. In 1850 he left Ohio and settled three miles east of Sheridan, this county, where he lived until his death at the age of seventy-eight, his wife surviving him four years, her death occurring at the advanced age of eightv-two years. The paternal grandfather of George W. Drake was Neely Drake, who was born in Brown county, Ohio, as was his wife, and they lived all of their days in that state. The wife of Neelv Drake was fifteen years of age at the time of her marriage and was the mother of fifteen children. The ma¬ ternal grandfather of Mr. Drake was William Teller, while his wife was Charlotte Garliner, both being natives of Brown county, Ohio. William Teller died in Ohio and his widow later came to Indiana, where her death occurred in 1851. William Teller and wife reared a large family of chil¬ dren.

George W. Drake came to this county with his parents when h^ was three years of age and with the exception of five years which he spent in Illinois, his entire life has been spent in this county. His first schooling was in the old-fashioned log school house with its puncheon floor and clap¬ board roof. He went to school one whole winter without any shoes at all, and this was not an unusual occurrence in his day, for many bovs grew to manhood in the early history of Indiana without ever having had shoes on their feet. Mr. Drake remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age and then married and rented a farm, on which he began housekeeping. Later he purchased forty acres of land and with the forty acres which his wife's father gave him, he had a very respectable farm to cultivate. He remained on the farm until 1885, when he moved to Sheridan and assisted in the building of the flour mill which is still operated by himself and F. C. Stahl. The mill has been one of the prosperous institutions of Sheridan since its innovation and now has a capacity of seventy-five barrels of flour daily.

George W. Drake was married February 15. 1868, to Mary E. Thistlewaite. the daughter of John and Rebecca (Simonds) Thistlewaite. John Thistlewaite was born in England and came to this country and settled in the eastern part of this state. His wife, Rebecca Simonds, was born near Spiceland, in Henry county, this state, and Mrs. Drake was born near Rich¬ mond, in Wayne county, Indiana. John Thistlewaite and wife were the par¬ ents of five children, Hannah, Henry, Charles, Edward and Mary, the wife of Mr. Drake. Tlie mother of Mrs. Drake died and afterwards her father married a second time, and to his second marriage were born eight children, William, Thomas, Joanna, Carrie, Walter, Grant, Sherman, Oscar and, Lillie.

Mr. and Mrs. Drake are the parents of seven children, Edward, May, Annis, Bertha, Beatrice, Robert and Mary F. Edward is a traveling sales¬ man for a Chicago stove house. He first married Ina McKinzie, and after her death, Daisy Dve; May, the second child of Mr. and Mrs. Drake, died in infancy; Annis married J. M. Applegate, of Sheridan, and has three chil¬ dren, Dorothy, George and Robert; Bertha is the wife of Charles Blake, of Chicago, now deceased ; Beatrice married Karl Kercheval ; Robert was in the United States navy for four years and took a trip around the world on the battle ship Louisiana. He is now a conductor on the interurban line from Indianapolis to Martinsville and lives in Mooresyille, Indiana. He married Laura Troub and has one daughter, Loneta; Mary F., the youngest child of Mr. and Mrs. Drake, is teaching school in Kirklin.

Mr. Drake is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and a char¬ ter member of the Sheridan Lodge, Xo. 176, Knights of Pythias. He also holds membership in the Improved Order of Red Men at Sheridan. Polit¬ ically. he is a Democrat, and while taking an active interest in civic affairs, has never been an aspirant for any public office. Mr. and Mrs. Drake have been life-long members of the Christian church and have always contributed liberally of their time and substance to its support. Mr. Drake is well known throughout Hamilton county as a reliable, straightforward business - man. He is genial in manner and is held in high esteem by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

Scott Roudebush

Among the earnest men whose enterprise and depth of character have gained for them a prominent place in the community and the confidence of his fellow citizens is Scott Roudebush. A leading farmer and stockman of the township in which he resides and a man of decided views and laudable ambitions, his influence has always been cast in behalf of all measures in¬ tended to promote the welfare of the community.

Scott Roudebush, the son of Francis M. and Alice (Lennen) Roude¬ bush, was born July n, 1873, in Wayne township, Hamilton county. His father was born in Ohio and came to this county with his parents when a small lad. James Roudebush, the grandfather of Scott, was a school teacher, beginning at the age of eighteen, in the early history of this county, getting one dollar and a half a day for his services. He saved his money until he had one hundred and fifty dollars and then bought a farm for three dollars an acre. This land in Wayne township was in the family name for fifty-two years and when it was finally sold it brought twelve thousand dollars. Francis M. was about eight months old when he came to this county with his parents and all the remainder of his life was spent in this county. He died February 2, 1912, on this same farm, and his widow is still living in Noblesville. Francis M. Roudebush and wife were the parents of four chil¬ dren : Scott, whose history is here recorded; Sadda, the wife of Harvy Curry, a farmer living near Greenfield, Indiana; India, deceased; Madge, the wife of Charles Wright, the proprietor of an orange grove in Florida.

Scott Roudebush received a good common and high-school education in the schools of this county, securing his high-school education in Noblesville. Early in life he decided to follow farming and he has never regretted that he made up his mind to devote his whole life to agricultural pursuits. He has a highly productive farm of seventy-four acres on which he carries on general farming with a degree of success commensurate with his efforts. He has a beautiful home, commodious barns and outbuildings and takes a great deal of pride in keeping everything looking neat and attractive about his place.

Mr. Roudebush was married December 23, 1896, to Bertha Mitchell, daughter of J. L. and Susan A. (List) Mitchell, natives of Johnson county, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell are the parents of six children: Charles E., Logansport; Mrs. Cora Kepner, whose husband is a farmer in this county; Talmage S., of White county, Indiana; Bertha, the wife of Mr. Roude¬ bush; Mrs. Anna Park, of Chicago, and George, of Chicago. To Mr. and Mrs. Roudebush have been born three children : One daughter, Dorothy, and twin daughters, Anna Cathryn and Alice Carolyn.

Mr. Roudebush is a Republican in politics, a "stand-patter," but has never been an aspirant for any public office, preferring to devote all of his time and energy to his agricultural pursuits. He and his family are mem¬ bers of the Christian Church. Fraternally, he is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men. Mr. Roudebush is highly respected and honored by every one with whom he has come into contact.

Francis T. Hinshaw

The Hinshaw family now number thousands of people in the United States and are found scattered from coast to coast. The original member of the family who came to this country was Thomas Hinshaw, who was bom in Ireland and came to this country about the middle of the eighteenth cen¬ tury. He left the Emerald Isle to seek his fortune in the new world, bring¬ ing with him his shuttle and scissors in order that he might follow his trade as a weaver. Upon coming to this country he settled in North Carolina, where he later married Rebecca, a native of North Carolina, and of Irish parentage. To Thomas Hinshaw and wife were born six children, Mary, Sarah, Martha, Deborah, Stephen and Hannah.

Stephen Hinshaw, the grandfather of Francis T., was born in North - Carolina in 1803, and was married in that state November 22, 1826, to Only E. Hoover, a native of the same state. In 1830 he came to Indiana and spent three years on a farm near Richmond, in Wayne county. He then came to Hamilton county, where he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land and lived the remainder of his life, his death occurring September 25, 1854, while his wife survived him many years, not passing away until April 16, 1873. To Stephen Hinshaw and wife were born ten children: Millicent, deceased; Andrew; John S. ; Thomas: Enos; Alcinda, who died in infancy; William H. : Rebecca H. ; Martha A. and Ira.

Thomas Hinshaw, the father of Francis T., was born in North Caro¬ lina, in Randolph county, but lived only a short time in Hamilton county, Indiana. He came to this county in August, 1862, but returned to North Carolina in 1866, and is still Hying in that state at the advanced age of eightv-two years. Shortly after returning to North Carolina, he became engaged in the general mercantile business, putting up a small store building on one corner of his farm and has been in active charge of this store down to the present time. His wife is still living at the age of eighty. To Thomas Hinshaw and wife have been born eight children, four of whom are living: Francis T. ; Amos S., who lives in North Carolina; Mrs. Aletha J. Bird, also living in North Carolina, and Lewis J., living in North Carolina.

Francis T. Hinshaw received a meager education in the schools of his native state, which were supported bv the Friends church, married in 1883, and immediately after his marriage, he and his young wife came to Hamil¬ ton county, Indiana, and located on the farm of eighty acres, where he is now living. He purchased forty acres adjoining forty which his wife had inherited from her father. He has been very successful as a farmer and hundred and sixty acres of fine farming land in Washington township. He carries on a general system of farming and combines his raising of crops with the raising of live stock in such a way as to yield him handsome returns each year.

county, North Carolina. James Harvey was a minister in the Friends church and at the same time a very successful farmer. He and his wife came to this county early in its history. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey walked practically the whole distance from North Carolina to this county. Mrs. Harvey riding a half day at one time when she was too ill to walk. Mr. and Mrs. Hinshaw are the parents of two sons, Ara B. and Hervey W. Ara B. was married July 23, tqo8, to Gertrude Randall, and they have one daughter, Thelma. He is now the manager of the elevator at Nora, Indiana. Hervey W. is still living with his parents.

Mr. Hinshaw has always been identified with the Republican party, but has never felt any inclination to be a candidate for public office. However, he is well informed upon the political issues of the day and takes an in¬ telligent interest in the welfare of his community. He and his family are loyal members of the Friends church and have always been liberal support- ers of all church work. He and his wife are highly respected and esteemed #by every one who knows them and their pleasant home is known to their many friends as a place of hospitality and good cheer.

George W. Noble

That the plenitude of satiety is seldom attained in the affairs of life is to be considered a most beneficial deprivation, for where ambition is satisfied and every ultimate end realized, if such be possible, apathy must follow. Ef¬ fort would cease, accomplishment be prostrate, and creative talent waste its energies in inactivity. The men who have pushed forward the wheels ot progress have been those to whom satisfaction ever lies in the future, who have labored continuously, always finding in each transition stage an in¬ centive for further effort. George W. Noble is one whose well directed efforts have gained for him a position of desirable prominence in the agricul¬ tural circles of Hamilton county, and his energy and enterprise have been crowned by a gratifying degree of success.

George W. Noble, the son of John W. Noble and wife, was born July 4, 1873, in Arcadia, this county. John W. Noble was born April 28, 1843, *n this county, and spent his entire life with the exception of the time of his service in the Civil War, within the limits of the county of his birth. As a member of the Thirty-ninth Regiment and Eighth Indiana Cavalry, he served throughout the whole period of the war, his regiment being attached to Gen. Philip Sheridan's command. He died April 13, 1911, and his widow is still living in Arcadia on the old homestead at the age of sixty-four years. John W. Noble and wife were the parents of five children: George, with whom this narrative deals ; Charles, who is living with his mother on the old home place; Daisy, born February 4, 1876, died January 8, 1903; Mrs. Lil¬ lian Burton, whose husband is a farmer in this county, and Clarence, the twin of Lillian, who died in infancy.

George W. Noble was educated in the district schools of his home town¬ ship and completed the course in the common schools. He remained with his parents on the home farm until his marriage, at the age of twenty-five, after which he began farming for himself, and he is now operating a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, eighty acres of which he secured bv his own efforts and eighty acres of which his late wife inherited. He carries on a general system of farming and combines with it the raising of live stock.

Mrs. Alzetta Noble

Mr. Noble was married February 16, 1898, to Alzetta Waltz, who was born in this county on November 7, 1880, the daughter of William and Sarah J. (Dawson) Waltz, natives of Hamilton county and North Carolina, respectively. Mrs. Alzetta (Waltz) Noble died August 20, 1914, and is bur¬ ied in the cemetery at Arcadia. Mr. Waltz was a successful farmer and at the time of his death owned eighty acres of fine land. Mr. and Mrs. Waltz were killed at Gray's Crossing, September 10, 1913, when the automobile in which they were returning from the Indiana. State Fair was struck by an interurban car. They were the parents of only one child, the wife of Mr. Noble, and their fine farm of eighty acres became the home of Mr. and Mrs. Noble, the latter of whom, however, survived the death of her parents a little less than a year. To Mr. and Mrs. Noble were born four children : Paul, born July 25, 1898, who is now attending the high school at Westfield; Raymond, born August 19, 1900 ; Lillian, born November 25, 1903, and died December 13th of the same year, and John W., born February 26, 1905.

The Progressive party has claimed the support of Mr. Noble since its organization, in 1912, and he is a firm believer in the principles and policies advocated by that party. He is an earnest and loyal member of the Meth¬ odist Episcopal church and is interested in the work of the church and Sun¬ day school, as well as in everything which pertains to the welfare of his com¬ munity, giving his hearty support to all measures which have for their object the advancement in any way of the welfare of the community.

Aaron Stottlemeyer

The Stottlemeyer family, which is worthily represented in Hamilton county* by Aaron Stottlemeyer, has traced its ancestry back through sev¬ eral generations, and it fs found that the original members of the family came from Germany in early colonial times. For more than one hundred years the family lived in Frederick county, Maryland, and Meyersville, a thriving town in that county, was named for Aaron Stottlemeyer's great¬ grandfather, Jonathan Meyers. Mr. Stottlemeyer is a man of strong con¬ stitution, a great reader, fond of music, and has taken a great interest in his home life. He and his wife have reared a large family of children to lives of usefulness and honor, and have in turn seen their children's children take their places as representative members of society.

Aaron Stottlemeyer, the son of Hiram and Elizabeth (Ambrose) Stottlemeyer, was born in Highland, Frederick county, Maryland, on July 22, 1848. He received his education in the county where he was born and after leaving school remained at home until his marriage. Two years after his marriage he and his young wife left Maryland and came to Indiana. They had very little of this world's goods, but they both enjoyed good health and were ambitious to succeed. They made their home in a log cabin for three years in Hamilton county, and Mr. Stottlemeyer worked diligently at any¬ thing he could find to do. I11 1874 he rented a farm in Madison county and started working for himself. He continued farming in that county until 1887, when he moved into Hamilton county and rented a farm on the east side of Wayne township near where he now lives. He lived on this place until 1900, when he bought his present farm of ninety acres. He has im¬ proved this farm in many ways, and each year finds his place in a better condition.

Mr. Stottlemeyer was married in Frederick county, Maryland, July 22, 1869, to Amanda C. Gaver, who was born in Frederick county, Maryland, the daughter of Peter and Caroline (Palmer) Gaver. To this union ten children have been born: James Elmer, Mollie, Maud, Llewellyn, Parker, Harry, Lee, Richard, Rowena and Linnie. James E. married Ada Cum¬ mings, and lives near his father's home. Janies and his wife have nine children, Alta, Charley, Raymond, Rosa, George, William, Loretta, Mary and Martha, the latter two being twins. Alta married Lawrence Anderson, and lives in Madison county, this state. All the rest of the children are single and are still living with their parents. Molly, the second child of Mr. and Mrs. Stottlemeyer, is the wife of Albert Huffman, and lives near her father's home. Mr. Huffman and his wife have three sons and three daugh¬ ters, Ernest, Ruth, May, Walter, Fay and Ira. Maud, who died in May, 1909, was the wife of John DeWitt, and the mother of three children, Clara, Helen and Lena, who died in infancy. Llewellyn is the wife of William Turner, and lives across in Madison county. She has four children living and one who died in infancy. Her living children are Edgar, Neal, How¬ ard and Margaret. Harry married Jessie Graham, and lives on the west side of Madison county. Parker, Lee, Richard, Rowena and Linnie are still living with their parents.

The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Stottlemeyer holds membership in the Improved Order of Red Men. Polit¬ ically, he is a Democrat, but has never been an aspirant for public office, pre¬ ferring to give all his time and attention to his agricultural affairs.

John W. Anderson

The Anderson family have been connected with the history of Hamil¬ ton county, Indiana, for more than eighty years, and its various members have contributed in no small measure to the general welfare of the com¬ munities in which they have lived. John W. Anderson, who was born in this county at the opening of the Civil War, has spent his entire life within its limits, and has so conducted his affairs as to merit inclusion among the representative men of his township and county. He has lived a quiet and unostentatious life, doing his daily duty as he saw it, and taking ungrudg¬ ingly his share of the burdens of community life.

John W. Anderson, the son of Ambrose and Micah (McClintick) An¬ derson, was born August 10, 1861, in the southeastern corner of White River township, Hanfilton county, Indiana. His father was born in 1827, in Clermont county, Ohio, and was a son of John and Nancy (Stephenson) Anderson. John Anderson and his wife were both natives of New Jersey and came to Ohio early in its history and later located in Madison county, Indiana, in 1832, about one-half mile north of Lapel. A year or two later John Anderson and his family moved into Hamilton county, and bought government land in section 20, Wayne township. John Anderson was a great hunter and killed several bears and deer after locating in this county. He lived in the eastern part of Wayne township until his death, with the exception of one year which he spent in Texas. In the early history of the county he operated a saw mill five days in the week and ground grain on Saturday for people of this and surrounding counties. He was .an ex¬ tensive land owner, owning land not only in several places in Indiana, but as far away as Iowa.

Ambrose Anderson was about six years of age when his parents located in Hamilton county in 1833, consequently he grew to manhood in this county. For several years he assisted his father in operating the com¬ bination saw and grist mill on Stony Creek near their home, traces of the old race being still discernible. Still later in life Ambrose Anderson en¬ gaged in carpenter work and helped to build many of the houses and barns in this and Madison county. About 1857 he gave up carpentering as a regu¬ lar occupation, bought a farm in White River township, and there made his home until death in 1904. His wife, Micah McClintick, who died in 1906, was the daughter of Andrew McClintick, whose father's name also was An¬ drew. The first Andrew McClintick came from County Cork, Ireland.

Mrs. Anderson's father resided in Madison county, settling there early in its history. Later he moved into White River township, Hamilton county, and entered government land. He was active in public affairs here as early as 1824, and continued to he a leading member of his community until his death. Ambrose Anderson and his wife reared a family of seven children, Orville, John, Nannie, Sallie, Florence, Samuel S. and Mrs. May Gentry. Orville, Nannie and Florence are deceased, and the other four children are still living.

John W. Anderson received a good, common school education and for two years taught subscription schools in Wayne township for the benefit of the children of the neighborhood. He remained at home until his marriage, when he began farming for himself on the place where he is now living in section 17, Wayne township, and has so improved his farm as to render it one of the most productive farms of the township. He started in with forty acres and now owns one hundred and five and a half acres, most of which is the fruit of his own hard labor. He has a handsome country home and large and commodious barns so that he is well able to carry on successful farming.

Mr. Anderson was married in February, 1899, to Lydia A. Gibbs, the daughter of Albert and Martha (Riggs) Gibbs. Mrs. Anderson was born in Clermont county, Ohio, and came here with her parents about 1868, and located one mile north of Lapel, in Madison county. During her residence in Madison county she taught subscription schools for two years. In 1869 the Gibbs family moved into Hamilton county and settled in Wayne town¬ ship, where they lived until 1904, in which year Mr. Gibbs and his wife went to Lovejoy, Georgia, where Mrs. Gibbs died in the spring of 1910, and Mr. Gibbs in the fall of 1911.

Mr. Anderson and his wife are the parents of four children, Oren, Harold, Shirley and Elma, all of whom are being given or have received the best education obtainable in Indiana. Oren attended the home schools and was graduated from the Lapel high school in 1908, after which he taught school in Wayne township for two terms and then entered Purdue Uni¬ versity, from which institution he was graduated in June, 1914, after having taken the four-year course, and is now a teacher in the university. Harold was graduated from the Lapel high school with the class of 1914 and is now taking the course at Purdue University. Shirley also was graduated from the Lapel high school with the class of 1914 and is now taking the course at DePauw University. Elma, having finished the grade school course in her home township is now attending the Lapel high school. The family are all consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church and deeply interested in the various phases of its activities. Politically, Mr. Anderson is a Democrat and while interested in good government, has never taken an active part in political affairs. He is a man of kindly disposition, honest and thoroughly trustworthy and held in high esteem by all who know him. He is thoroughly up to date in his agricultural methods and by the use of sound judgment and common sense he has achieved a measure ot success that is creditable to him. He has so conducted his daily life in the community where he has lived so many years as to command the favorable attention of his fellow citizens.

William Edgar Ford

The first members of the Ford family located in Hamilton county, Indiana, in 1831, at a time when the greater portion of this county was still covered with a dense forest. They entered government land, cleared the primitive forests, drained the swamps and laid the foundation for a fine farm. The father of William Edgar Ford, whose history is here recorded, at one time owned six hundred and eighty acres of land in Hamilton and Madison counties, and for many years was one of the largest farmers of the county. When the family came here in the thirties, deer and bears were to be found roaming the woods, and Mr. Ford's father had no difficulty in supplying the family with fresh meat at all times of the year. The Indians were still here and roaming bands of the red men were frequent visitors at the Ford fireside.

William Edgar Ford, the son of James and Sarah (Busby) Ford, was bom in the northeastern part of Wayne township, Hamilton county, In¬ diana, July 26, 1864. His father was born at Dover, Maryland, in 1827, and was one of ten children born to his parents. When about four years of age James Ford came with his parents from Maryland td Wayne township, Hamilton county, Indiana, and here he lived the remainder of his life.

James Ford was twice married, his first wife being Miss McAnaly, and to this first union three children were born, two of whom died in infancy. A daughter, Mollie, now deceased, grew to womanhood and married Marion Aldred, of Noblesville. The second wife of James Ford was Sarah Busby, who was born near Lowell. West Virginia, the daughter of Thomas Busby. The Busbys came to Hamilton county about 1830, and located near Lapel, where they lived the remainder of their lives. After James Ford's second marriage he went to Homestead county, Minnesota, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land and bought an additional one hundred and twenty acres. He lived in that state for about four years, and then returned to Hamilton county, Indiana, and bought out the rest of the heirs of the old home place, and lived there the rest of his life. He made one or two trips back to his old home in Maryland, the last trip being about 1878, and also made several trips to his land in Minnesota. He was an extensive land owner, but had given his children considerable land before his death, although he still owned three hundred and sixty acres in this county and Madison county, when he died. In addition to his large farming interests Mr. Ford for several years owned and operated the flour mill at Lapel, which he bought in 1893. After several years of successful operation of this mill he leased the same and then after several years sold it. This mill was de¬ stroyed by fire in 1904.

James Ford and his wife first belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church, but when the United Brethren built a church at Lapel, they joined that denomination, and gave it their enthusiastic support. Four children were born to James Ford and wife: Addie, who died in 1871, at the age of twentv-one; Ella, the wife of L. L. King, of Lapel; James Thomas, of Pen¬ dleton. and William Edgar.

The education of William E. Ford was received in the district schools of Wayne township and Fishersburg, and his early boyhood was spent on the home farm. After his marriage in 1894 he began, to farm where he is now living and has spent all of his married life on the same farm. He has a well improved farm of ninety-sirx acres and has all of the modern ma¬ chinery necessary for successful farming.

William E. Ford has been twice married. He was first married in 1894 to Sarah White, who was born near Mt. Comfort, Hancock county, In¬ diana, the daughter of William and Delilah White, and to this union two children were born, James William and Frances Ellen, both of whom are still living with their father. The first wife of Mr. Ford died in May, 1904, and in July, 1905, he was married to Miss Mary Lee Montgomery, who was born and reared near Westfield, this county, the daughter of Richard and Matilda (Wright) Montgomery. Richard Montgomery came from Guil¬ ford county. North Carolina, when he was six ytws of age with his parents, Joab and Mary Montgomery, and located near Carmel. Matilda Wright was born in Howard county, Indiana, the daughter of Jonathan and Jane Wright, who had come from North Carolina to Randolph county, Indiana, and later to Howard county. Both Mrs. Ford's parents are now living at Lapel. Her father was formerly a carpenter, but for the past fifteen years has followed the painter's trade. Mr. Ford and his wife have one son, Richard, who was born October 7, 1906. The family are members of the Friends church at Lapel and Mr. Ford is a supporter of the Republican party.

Oliver Morton Stubbs

The Stubbs family have been prominently connected with the history of Hamilton county, Indiana, Jor more than thirty years, and during that time have been interested in every phase of the county's development. Oliver Morton Stubbs, one of the sterling representatives of this family, is now a substantial farmer in Wavne township. He is a quiet and unassum¬ ing man who attends strictly to his own affairs, and by diligence and good management has accumulated a comfortable competence for himself and family.

Oliver Morton Stubbs, the son of Leonidas and Charlotte (Cushing) Stubbs, was born March 10, 1870, in Shelby county, Indiana. His father was born April 22, 1847, m the same county, the son of Elza and Zephaniah (King) Stubbs. Leonidas Stubbs was married October 6, 1868, to Char¬ lotte W. Cushing, the daughter of John and Hannah (Watson) Cushing. The wife of Mr. Stubbs was born at Scotch Plains, New Jersey, August 4, 1850, and came to Shelby county, Indiana, with her parents when a small girl. Leonidas Stubbs farmed in Shelby county until 1883, when he came to Hamilton county and bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in part¬ nership with his brother in Wayne township. In 1899 he bought out his brother's interest in this farm and continued to farm the one hundred and sixty acres until his death June 3, 1908. His widow lived on the farm until November, 1913, when she moved to Noblesville, where she is now living.

Three children were born to Leonidas Stubbs and wife: Oliver Mor¬ ton, Minnie A. and John Z. Minnie A. is the wife of Francis M. Musselman, whose biography is presented elsewhere in this volume. John married Gertrude Ware, and has two children, Leonidas J. and George Gerald.

Oliver Morton Stubbs received his early education in the schools of his native county and completed it in Hamilton county. He was thirteen years of age when his parents moved to this county and settled in Wayne township, and he has lived all of hisdife since that time within the limits of this county. After his marriage Mr. Stubbs worked by the month for his uncle, Judge George W. Stubbs, who owned a farm in Noblesville and Wayne townships. After working for his uncle for one year he moved to the Peter Glosser farm north of Noblesville, where he lived for a year and a half, and then moved back to the home place, where he remained a year, after which he rented a farm of Francis Musselman for two years. Then Leonidas Stubbs bought a forty-acre farm a' short distance south of the old home place and Oliver M. Stubbs lived on this place for two years, after which he moved back to the old home farm, where he has since resided. He has a cider mill which gives him employment for a month or two every fall.

Mr. Stubbs was married in 1892 to Louisiana Johnson, who was a native of Decatur county, Indiana, and is the daughter of John T. and Mahala A. (Wheeldon) Johnson. Her parents were born in Decatur county, and moved to Tipton county, this state, in 1873, when Mrs. Stubbs was about six months old. They lived there until she was about two years old and then located in Hamilton county, about two and one-half miles from Nobles¬ ville. On this farm Mrs. Stubbs grew to womanhood and here her mother died November 19, 1899. Her father later married Mrs. Mary Roberts, the widow of Henry Roberts, and now lives in Noblesville. Mr. Stubbs and his wife are the parents of three sons: Leslie Morton, bom October 27, 1892; Walter Mahlon, bom July 2, 1895, and Leonard, bom July 26, 1897. Mr. and Mrs. Stubbs are devoted members of the Christian church and Mr. Stubbs is a stanch Republican.

William Males

A prominent farmer of Wayne township, Hamilton county, Indiana, is William Males, who is a native of Madison county, but has lived in this county since 1867. Mr. Males is a fine type of the American citizen and while attending primarily to his own interests, has not been neglectful of his duties as a member of the commonwealth, and has never failed to give his support to all public-spirited measures.

William Males, the son of Joel and Mary (Sloan) Males, was born in Madison county. Indiana, two and one-half miles north of Lapel, January 26, 1863. His father, who was the son of Joseph and Frances (White) Males, was born in the same neighborhood in 1837. Joseph Males was a native of Kentucky, who came to Indiana when a young man and, accord- ing to the best evidence the family has, was married in Fayette county, In¬ diana.' He and his family were early settlers in Madison county, and he started to work in that county at six dollars a month. He and his wife were very economical and were soon able to purchase a farm of goodly propor¬ tions in Madison county about two and one-half miles from Lapel, and on this farm Joseph Males and his wife spent the remainder of their days.

Joel Males was reared in the pioneer days when hard work was the lot of every country lad. He grew to manhood and married Mary Sloan, who was born in his neighborhood. She was the daughter of John and Miriam (Busby) Sloan. Her father .was reared by Billy Busby, and grew to man¬ hood in Indiana. John Sloan died when Mary, the wife of Joel Males, was six years of age. This was about the year 1845, and his widow survived him many years, not passing away until in April, 1893. Mary Sloan grew to womanhood on the farm where she was born and lived there until her mar¬ riage to Joel Males.

After their marriage Joel Males and his wife farmed on the Sloan home¬ stead until his death in October, 1865. His widow then sold the farm and lived for a year at Fisherburg. In September, 1867, she came to Hamilton county, and bought a farm of eighty acres in the northern part of Wayne township, and moved there in the fall of that year with her son, William, the immediate subject of this review, and daughter, Avaline, the latter of whom died at the age of seventeen. In the fall of 1893, Mrs. Males, the mother of William, bought eighty additional acres of land and in 1902 she erected two substantial houses on her farm, one for herself and one for her son, William, and each of them moved into their respective homes on the same day.

William Males was five years of age when his widowed mother came to Hamilton county and settled in Wayne township, and consequently all of his education was received in the schools of this county. He grewr to man¬ hood and wrhen twenty years of age was married and continued to live on his mother's farm. He is now farming the one hundred and sixty acres which his mother purchased in this county, in Wayne township, and has placed many improvements upon it.

William Males was married in October, 1882, to Sophia Sinders, who is a native of Hamilton county, the daughter of Andrew and Mary (Kashner) Sinders. Although she was born in this county she was reared in Ow^en county, Indiana, returning to this county upon reaching wromanhood. The first wife of Mr. Males died in September, 1891, leaving her husband with four children, Harvey, Stephen, Jessie and Stella. Harvey married Maude

McDonald, and lives with his grandmother, Mrs. Joel Males, and has three children, John Francis, Catherine and Esther. Stephen married Elsie Walker, and lives in the northern part of Wayne township, and has three children, Lorrain, Edgar and Robert. Jessie is the wife of Ollie Musselman, and lives in the southern part of Wavne township. They have four children, Alma, Harry, Eva and Ruth. Stella, the youngest of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. William Males, married Walter Conant, and lives in Noblesville, and has two children, Pauline and Lewis.

In March, 1893, Mr. Males was married a second time to Mrs. Artlissa (Reddick) Teeters, the widow of Luther Teeters. She was born in Wayne township, and was the daughter of James and Elizabeth Reddick. She had two children by her first marriage, Charles and Della, and to her union -with Mr. Males were born six children, Lonnie, Mary, Lucy, William, Fred and Russell. The second wife of Mr. Males died October 24, 1913.

Mr. Males was a Democrat until 1896, since which time he has been affiliated with the Republican party. He has never been inclined to take an active part in political affairs, although he gives his hearty support to all measures which have for their purpose the bettering of his community. He is a member of the Baptist church. Personally, he is a genial, whole-souled man, whose actions have commended him to a wide circle of friends and acquaintances.

John B. Simmermon. '

A highly respected family of Wayne township, Hamilton county, Indi¬ ana, is that of John B. Simmermon, who resides in that township with his wife and five interesting children. He has spent his entire life in this town¬ ship, where he was born, and is universally recognized as a good citizen and a man who measures up to the highest type of American manhood. He and his wife are both well educated people and have taken a great deal of inter¬ est in the rearing of their children.

John B. Simmermon, the son of John Sullivan and Margaret J. (Castor) Simmermon, was born April 3, 1875, Wavne township, Hamilton county, Indiana. The interesting biography of his father is given elsewhere in this volume, and the reader is referred to it for further information regarding the Simmermon family.

John B. Simmermon attended the district schools of his township and graduated from the common school June j/, 1893, with a class of seventeen graduates. Later he entered high school, but before graduating was com¬ pelled to leave school and start to work. After his marriage in 1898, Mr. Simmermon started farming for himself on the farm where he is now living in Wayne township. He has one hundred and thirty-seven and one-half acres of excellent farming land and is one of the most progressive farm¬ ers of his township. He raises hogs and cattle and usually feeds about one hundred and fifty hogs for the market annually, together with a car load of cattle. In addition to raising cattle, he also buys and ships cattle from the neighborhood in which he lives. He is a good business man and has the foresight and judgment to make a success of any venture ta which he turns his attention.

Mr. Simmermon was married November 17, 1898, to Clemma A. Hast¬ ings, who was born in Hancock county, Indiana, February 1, 1877, and is the daughter of David and Mary Elma (Reece)' Hastings. Her father was born and reared in Rush county, Indiana, near the Hancock county line, the son of Daniel and Keziah (Brown) Hastings. Mary Elma Reece, the mother of Mrs. Simmermon, was born in Hancock county, near where David Hast¬ ings was reared. She was the daughter of John and Gulielma (Dennis) Reece. Gulielma Dennis was born near Newcastle, in Henry county, Indi¬ ana, was married there and after her marriage she and her husband, John Reece, bought wild land in Hancock county. Daniel Hastings, who was born in Indiana when it was yet a territory, and his wife Keziah, who was a native of Preble county, Ohio, made their home in Rush county until old age, and spent their last years near Newberg, Oregon, where Mr. Hastings was interested in a bank. The Hastings family were all Quakers and during the ante-bellum days in Indiana, helped in the operation of the famous "Under¬ ground Railway."

Mrs. Simmermon lived in Rush county until she was sixteen years of age, and then moved with her parents to Hancock county. She attended the schools at Knightstown, Indiana, for a time and finally graduated from the high school at Greenfield, Indiana, May 31, 1898. Mr. Simmermon and his wife are the parents of five children, Neva M., born February 18, 1900; Alma L.. born December 18, 1901 ; Sewell D., born January 29, 1904; John Elbert, born September 2, 1906, and Mary Elma, born July 8, 1909. The oldest daughter, Neva M., is now a sophomore in the high school at Noblesville.

Mr. Simmermon is an active worker in the Republican party, but has never been an aspirant for public office. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, while his wife is a member of the Wesleyan Methodist church. Mrs. Simmermon was a Quaker by birthright, but became a mem¬ ber of the Methodist church after her marriage. She is a woman of refine¬ ment and social graces, and is deeply devoted to her home duties. Mr. Simmermon is a man of strong character and deep convictions and is emi¬ nently worthy of a mention among the representative men of his county.

Christian D. Zimmer

Conspicious among the representative men and public-spirited citizens of Hamilton county is Christian D. Zimmer, a prosperous farmer of Noblesville township. He has made his influence felt for good in his community, being a man of sterling worth, whose life has been closely interwoven with the history of his township and county. He has ever been interested in all efforts to advance the material, moral, intellectual and social welfare of his community, and has thereby gained the respect and admiration of all his fellow citizens.

Christian D. Zimmer, the son of Christian H. and Mary K. (Deitrich) Zimmer, was born July 17, 1853, in the state of Pennslyvania. His parents were both bom in the same state and came to Indiana and settled in Wayne county in 1857. A few years later they moved to Hamilton county and lo¬ cated in Noblesville, where the mother died April 9, 1879, and the father passed away July 15, 1908. Mr. Zimmer has fine pictures of his parents, which were taken in 1857 and which are highly valued by him. To Chris¬ tian H. Zimmer and wife were born six children: Christian D., with whom this narrative deals; Henry D., deceased; George D., a harness maker of Indianapolis; Mrs. Alvina Coffin, of Indianapolis; Mrs. Mattie Judd, whose husband is a farmer in this county, and Mrs. Mary Slater, of Indianapolis.

Christian D. Zimmer was only three years old when his parents moved from Pennsylvania to Wayne county, Indiana, and was just of school age when they permanently located in this county. He received all of his school¬ ing in the district school, which was about half a mile from his father's house. In accordance with the custom of those days, he spent all of his summer vaca¬ tions upon his father's farm, and in that way acquired an intimate knowledge of all phases of agriculture before lie left the parental roof. He now has eighty acres, all of which he has acquired by his individual efforts with the exception of twenty acres which his wife received from her father's estate. He has carried on general farming and kept as much stock as he could feed from his own farm. He keeps well informed on the latest methods of scien- tific agriculture, and does not hestitate to adopt the most approved ideas when convinced that they are superior to the ones he has been using.

Mr. Zimmer married, January 25, 1874, Margaret Roquey, the daughter of Henry and Margaret (Bengl) Roquey, both of whom were natives of Germany. To Mr. and Mrs. Zimmer have been born five children: Lora, the wife of M. H. Davis, a farmer of this county; Mrs. Katie Bell, of Noblesville township, who married secondly C. H. Scarce; Frederick R., who mar¬ ried Elsie Smith, and lives in Noblesville; Gerald P., who married Lora Fisher, and lives in Indianapolis; Harlan F., who is now a junior in the high school at Noblesville.

In politics, Mr. Zimmer is a stanch Prohibitionist, having cast his for¬ tunes with the new party upon its organization in the summer of 1886. Re¬ ligiously, he and his family are loyal members of the English Lutheran church, and contribute freely of their means to its support. Mr. Zimmer is a stockholder and director in the Hamilton County Farmers, Mutual Fire Insurance Company. During his whole life in this county he has so conducted himself as to win the hearty approval of all with whom he is associated in any way.

Isaac Newton Wells

One of the oldest and most highly respected citizens in Hamilton county is Isaac Newton Wells, who has been a resident of this county for more than eighty years. He has been a life-long blacksmith and farmer and identified with every measure which has had to do with the material, moral, industrial and educational advancement of the county. His efforts have been crowned with a large degree of success and today he can look back over a long career which has been filled with good work well done.

* Isaac Newton Wells, the son of Isaac and Mary (Barker) Wells, was born October 12, 1832, in Morgan county, Indiana. His father was born in 1798 in Randolph county. North Carolina, the son of Isaac and Mary (Beeson) Wells. The family have been members of the Friends church for several generations, seemingly having allied themselves with the church shortly after its organization. The father of Isaac Newton Wells was twice married in North Carolina, his first wife being Mary Pounds. She died leaving one son, B. F., who died in this county in 1910 at the age of eightvfour. The second wife was Mary Barker, the mother of Isaac Newton Wells.

About 1830 the parents of Isaac Newton Wells came from North Caro¬ lina to Indiana and located in Morgan county, three miles from Mooresville. They rented a farm there for two years and then moved to Hamilton county, Indiana, and entered one hundred and sixty acres of government land in Washington township. At that time bears, wolves, deer and all kinds of wild game were abundant in the forests; there were no roads through the dense forests and no bridges across the streams. The family built a rude log cabin in the woods in which they lived for the first few years.

The father of Isaac Newton Wells was thrice married after coming to Indiana. His second wife, whom he had married in North Carolina, died in 1840 leaving seven children: John B., Mary R., Sally Ann, Isaac Newton, Rebecca, Rachel and Jesse. The first two were born in North Carolina and the rest in Indiana. After the death of his second wife Isaac Wells, Jr., married Mrs. Hannah (Allen) Kivett, the widow of James Kivett and the daughter of William and Jane Allen. To this third union four children were born, three of whom died in their early childhood, the only one now living being Zachariah Allen Wells, a farmer of Noblesville township in this county.

After the death of his third wife Isaac Wells, Jr., married Sarah Stan¬ ley who died without issue in 1870. The fifth and last wife of Isaac Wells, Jr., was Mrs. Nancy (Ricks) Elder, the widow of David Elder. There were no children bv the last marriage. He died April 30, 1880, and his last wife passed away in October, 1885.

Isaac Newton Wells was reared amidst pioneer conditions and received meager schooling in the subscription schools of his community. He grew to manhood on his father's farm and at the age of twenty-two was married to Arm Moore, the daughter of Mordecai and Rachel (Stubbs) Moore. The Moore family came from Preble county, Ohio, and Mordecai Moore bought a farm a mile and one-half south of Westfield, where he lived until his death in 1842, his wife passing away in 1879. Ann Moore was one of a family of nine children, Barclay, Joseph, Keziah. Rebecca, Phoebe, Elisha, Nathan, Elizabeth and Ann.

After his marriage Isaac N. Wells lived at Eagletown for the first nine months and operated a blacksmith shop in. partnership with his brother and later conducted a blacksmith business at Westfield for several years. In the spring of i8fk) he bought a farm of twenty-four acres, one and a half miles south of Westfield, and has lived on this farm since that time. He built a blacksmith shop on his farm and continued to work at his trade until old age prevented further strenuous physical activities. He rented out his fields

Mr. Wells and his wife were the parents of three children: Elma, Will¬ iam and Eva. Elma is the wife of Rufus Bond and lives in Westfield. William died at the age of two and one-half years, while Eva is now making her home with her father. The mother of these three children died March 29, 1914, and if she had lived until the following November 9th, she and her husband would have been married sixty years. She was a good wife and mother and her daughters show in their lives the influence of her excellent childhood training. As a child she showed a quickness to learn, her special talent lying in reading and spelling. It was her father's ambition to make a scholar of her, but his death when she was but a young girl made this ambi¬ tion impossible of fulfillment as the family was left in straitened circum¬ stances. However, Ann Moore made use of such opportunities for schooling as offered. In those days the spelling school was in vogue and she was considered one of the best spellers, being able to spell correctly all the words in Walker's Dictionary, the text book then in use. In later years when she had a family of her own and the spelling of a word was in question, her decision could always be relied on. A birthright member of the Friends church, its work in all its departments was her chief interest, outside her home. She was a loyal member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and a charter member of the local missionary society, whose meetings and plan of study received her earnest cooperation. She was a daily student of the Bible finding much comfort and food for thought in its pages. When the Sabbath came, unless prevented by illness, she was always found in her place at Sabbath school. A number of years she was a teacher in the primary department, where many small boys and girls received their first instruction in the way of Sabbath school under her guidance, who have long since reached maturity. After leaving the primary work, she was elected teacher of the woman's Bible class, and continued in that relation until the organized class movement was adopted. While her life of almost four score years was uneventful, and spent' for the greater part in one locality, who knows but that she fulfilled her mission in life just as Completely as the one called to a wider sphere of activity.

every move is guided by an unselfish devotion to duty to his fellowmen and to his God. Kind and generous, upright and honorable in all of his dealings, Providence has prospered him and peace and plenty have come to him abundantly.

Charles N. Brown

For more than a jquarter of a century Charles N. Brown has been con¬ nected with the farming and agricultural interests of Hamilton county* Indi¬ ana. He is a man who has taken an active part in the life of his community and while he has never been an aspirant for public office, yet he has always been progressive in his ideas, and been one of the leaders of his party. That he has been more than usually successful in his agricultural operations is shown by the fact that he has two hundred and thirteen acres of well im¬ proved land.

Charle N. Brown, the son of Lee S. and Rosa (Huffman) Brown, was born June 30, 1862, in Marion county, Indiana. His father was a native of Hendricks county. Indiana, and was a farmer all of his life in Marion and Hamilton counties. His mother was born in Marion county, where she lived all of her life. When Charles H. Brown was about two years of age his mother died, and his father afterwards married Rose Ann Butterfield, who was born near New Britain, Hamilton county. After this marriage Lee S. Brown and his family located in Clay township, Hamilton county, near the Marion county line. Lee S.* Brown later traded this farm for one near Car¬ mel, and from that time until his death in March, 1914, he lived near or in Carmel. For several years he conducted a livery stable at Carmel, and en¬ gaged extensively in the breeding of horses. Lee S. Brown was a prominent Republican and a member of the Williams Creek Christian church.

Charles N. Brown remained on the home farm until he became of age and then for two summers "worked out" as a farm hand in the immediate neighborhood. After his marriage he and his wife lived in Carmel for about three months until Mr. Brown could complete a house on his farm two miles north and one mile east of Carmel in Washington township. Mr. Brown had inherited this farm before his marriage, but there were no buildings on it and he built a small house of three rooms immediately after his marriage and moved into it the first year. Since that time he has built a large and commodious country home, and now has one of the most attractive places in the township. He has been a man of good business ability and has used excellent judgment in all of his transactions. When the Hamilton Trust Company was first organized as an abstract company, he became a stock¬ holder, and for some time was a director in the company. He has eighty acres of land in his home place, seventy-eight acres where his daughter, Mary, and her husband are living, and fifty-five acres about a quarter of a mile east of his home. He follows general farming, although he has given the larger part of his attention within recent years to live-stock raising.

Mr. Brown was married in December, 1888, to Olive Moffitt, who was born in Delaware township, Hamilton county, the daughter of J. W. and Mary (Roberts) Moffitt. J. W. Moffitt was the youngest son of Silas and Hannah (Wilkinson) Moffitt, natives of North Carolina and early settlers in this county, where they located about 1826. Mr. Brown and his wife are the parents of three children, Mary, Lois and Ralph. Mary was married on the twenty-fifth anniversary of her parents' marriage to Leland Jessup, and now lives one and one-half miles north of Carmel. Lois and Ralph are still living with their parents.

Mr. Brown has always been identified with the Republican party, but has always preferred to devote his time and attention to his agricultural interests rather than engage in the strife and turmoil of political campaigns. The family are all consistent members of the Friends church and generous con¬ tributors to its support. Mr. Brown is progressive in his ideas and has always been prominent in everything pertaining to the welfare of his com¬ munity.

David M. Brock

The biographies of the representative men of a county bring to light many hidden treasures of mind, character and courage, well calculated to arouse the pride of their family and of the community, and it is a source of regret that the. people are not more familiar with the personal history of such (men, in the ranks of whom may be found tillers of the soil, mechanics, teach¬ ers, as well as lawyers, physicians, bankers and members of other vocations and professions. David M. Brock is one of the leading citizens of the town¬ ship in which he lives, and as such has made his influence felt among his fellow men and earned a name for enterprise, integrity and honor that en¬ titles him to worthy notice in a work of the nature of this volume.

parents, Elijah and Frances (Greening) Brock, were natives of South Caro¬ lina and Kentucky, respectively. Elijah Brock was in the battle of Tippe¬ canoe, Indiana, the memorable battle fought by William Henry Harrison and the Indians on November 7, 1811, near Lafayette, Indiana. Upon his re¬ turn from that battle with a portion of the army, he passed through Hamilton county, and was very much impressed with the fertility of the soil and the general character of the land in this section of the state. At that time the Indians still owned all of the central part of Indiana, but after the land was purchased from the Indians, in the fall of 1818, he made up his mind to re¬ turn to this county and enter land as soon as it was opened by the United States government for sale. Accordingly, he came to this county in 1821, two years before the county was formally organized, it being at that time a part of Delaware county. He entered a tract of land now occupied by his son, David M., and here he lived the life of a farmer until his death, which occurred on February 22, 1867. Elijah Brock and wife were the par¬ ents of five children : John W., of Noblesville; Mrs. Molona M. Davis, of Indianapolis; David M. ; Mrs. Keziah Stanford, deceased, and Mrs. Ursula B. Hiatt, whose husband is a Methodist minister in Huntington, West Vir¬ ginia.

David M. Brock was given such education as the subscription schools of his day afforded, and as a youth enjoyed all the pleasures of the pioneer farmer lad of his time. He assisted with the home work on the farm dur¬ ing his minority, and his father dying when he was twenty years of age, he assumed the full management of the home place. On this farm is a large tree which has two holes but only one top, which attracts a great deal of attention, many persons making special visits to see it. After his marriage, in 1871, Mr. Brock remained on the farm for a short time and then went to Noblesville, where he lived for the next twenty-five years. Though re¬ tiring from the farm and moving into the county seat primarily for the purpose of giving his children the advantages of better educational facilities, Mr. Brock presently engaged in business in Noblesville, entering into the wholesale and retail grocery business in 1884, in which he continuel with much success for a period of twenty-five years. During this time Mr. Brock >vas for a time chief of the Noblesville fire department, and on one occasion during this service suffered a broken limb while going to a fire. While living in Noblesville, Mr. Brock took an active part in the civic life of the city and served on the council for many years. In 1909 he returned to his farm near Noblesville, where he has since continued to reside. He en¬ joys farming and is never happier than when engaged in agricultural pur¬ suits. Since moving back to his farm he has specialized in the raising of

Mr. Brock was married in December, 1871, to Mary Quick, the daugh¬ ter of Nicholas and Katherine (Davis) Quick, natives of Ireland and In¬ diana, respectively, and to this union have been born three children : Carl T., a merchant of Noblesville; A . J., a merchant of Brazil, Indiana, and Harry R., a traveling salesman.

The party which abolished slavery, elected Lincoln, Grant and McKinley has received the support of Mr. Brock since reaching his majority. He has always taken an active interest in politics and, being a wide reader and close observer of men and events, is able to discuss intelligently the political issues of the day. He and wife are earnest and loyal members of the Chris¬ tian church, and give to it their active support in various ways. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, at Noblesville, and in the work of this fraternal organization he has always taken an abiding interest. Mr. Brock has acted well his part in life, and while primarily interested in his own affairs, as every man should be, yet he has not been unmindful of the interests of his fellow citizens. He has contributed to the extent of his ability to the advancement of the public good and welfare of his neighbors, and for this reason he has been a potential factor for the upbuilding of his community and the advancement of the highest and best interests of the people with whom he has mingled.

John R. Brown

A man who can resolve vigorously upon a course of action, and turns neither to the right nor to the left, though a paradise tempt him, who keeps his eyes upon the goal, whatever distracts him, is almost sure of suc¬ cess. We could almost classify successful men by their various degrees of will power. Men like Coleridge, Sir James Mackintosh and many others who have dazzled the world with their brilliancy, but who never accomplished a tithe of what they promised, who were always raising our expectations that they would do wonderful deeds, but who accomplished nothing worthy of their great abilities, have been deficient in will-power. One talent with a will behind it will accomplish more than ten without it, as a thimbleful of powder in a rifle will do greater execution than a carload of powder burned in the open air. The trouble with too m^iny men is that they burn too much of their powder in the open air and thus get but little good from it.

One of the men of Hamilton county who is not wasting his energy in useless pursuits is John R. Brown, a prosperous farmer of Washington township. He was born in Henry county, Indiana, July 3, 1852, and is the son of McNeal and Gilla (Raleigh) Brown. McNeal Brown came to this county before the Civil War and lived here the remainder of his life. He saw service in both the Mexican and Civil Wars. He was mustered into the Mexican War January 26, 1847, from his native state and served to the end of that struggle in Company G, First Regiment North Carolina Volunteer Infantry, being mustered out on July 27, 1848. He came to Indiana after the Mexican War and lived in Henry county a short time before permanently settling in Hamilton county. He enlisted in the Civil War in Company G, One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry and served to the close of the war. He died April 1, 1895, and his wife passed away on May 20th of the following month. McNeal Brown and wife were the parents of four children: John R., Mrs. Martha Mendenhall, deceased; Mrs. Emma J. Brown, deceased, and Maraca Ann Carey, the wife of a farmer of Washington township, in this county.

John R. Brown was educated in the country schools and later attended the union high school at Westfield for a time. He was eager to learn and was a good student in school so that he had no difficulty in getting a license to teach after finishing the course at Westfield. He taught for a couple of years but decided that he would rather farm, so he discontinued teaching and has since devoted all of his time and energy to agricultural pursuits. He has a highly productive farm of seventy-seven and one-half acres on which he raises excellent crops and high-class live stock.

Mr. Brown was married August 20, 1874, to Penina Pruitt, the daughter of Elisha and Sarah A. (Ballard) Pruitt. Elisha Pruitt was born in 1820 and died March 7, 1872. Mrs. Pruitt was born June 2i, 1829. Elisha Pruitt and wife were married in 1854. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are the par¬ ents of four children: Ella and Myrtle, deceased in infancy; Frank C., of Indianapolis, who is married and has five children : Mona R., Ross N., Bon¬ ner, John M. and Donnel Ernie A., who is fanning on his father's farm. He is married and has two children, Roy M. and Russell E.

In politics Mr. Brown is a stanch member of the Prohibition party and is firm in his adherence to its principles and policies. He feels that the suppression and ultimate extinction of the liquor traffic will be the means of conferring a great blessing upon this country. He and the members of his family are all loyal adherents of the Friends church and liberal contribu- tors to its varied activities. His life has been singularly free from anything which might bring upon himself the condemnation of his fellow citizens, his every action having been in accordance with the Golden Rule.

Noah W. Sowerwine

The Sowerwine family has been prominently identified with the history of Hamilton county since 1849, when John Sowerwine, the grandfather of Noah W., with whom this narrative deals, came to this county. The fam¬ ily trace their ancestry back to Germany, the first member of the family coming to America in order to avoid the service in the German army. The line of descent from the first member of the family who came to this country 'down to Noah YV. Sowerwine is as follows: Peter, born in Germany, came to America about 1775; John, born in Virginia, 1796; William, bom in Virginia, 1826, and Noah W., with whom this narrative deals, bom in Ham¬ ilton county, Indiana, February 12, 1856.

Peter Sowerwine, the first of the family to come to America, arrived in New York about the time of the Revolutionary War, and shortly after¬ ward went to Virginia, where he followed the occupation of a farmer, as well as the trade of a tanner until his death. His wife, Barbara Bowers, was a native of Germany also. It is not known how many children were born to Peter and Barbara (Bowers) Sowerwine, but John, who became the ancestor of those members of the family coming to Hamilton county, Indiana, was a son of this worthy couple.

John Sowerwine, grandfather of Noah W., was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1796, and grew to manhood in the home of his birth. His wife, Elizabeth Bowman, was bom in the same county November 25, 1805, of German descent, her parents being George and Margaret (Miller) Bowman. John Sowerwine and Elizabeth Bowman were married in 1825, and in 1834 they came to Indiana and for several years resided in Wayne county, this state, moving to Hamilton county in 1849, and settling in Jackson township, near Cicero. At the time of his coming to this township, John Sowerwine purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land, thirty-five acres of which had been cleared. In addition to his farming he also followed the trades of cabinet maker and carpenter. He was first a Whig in politics and later an advocate of Republican principles. John Sowerwine died June 14, 1876, and his wife died on June nth of the same year, her death occuring just three days before that of her husband. John Sowerwine and wife were the parents of three children, William, the father of Noah W. ; Mary became the wife of Carey Hall, of this county, and George, who died at the age of four.

William Sowerwine was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, June 17, 1826, and lived there with his parents until they came to Indiana, in 1834, and settled in Wayne county. In 1849 he came to Hamilton county with his parents, and immediately after his marriage settled on a farm in Jackson township, this county, where he lived until his death, November 5, 1906. He was married in 1850 to Elizabeth Gentry, who was born in Wayne county, Indiana, and who resided there until the time of her marriage. She was the daughter of Ephraim and Elizabeth (Foland) Gentry, natives respectively of Virginia and Tennessee, and pioneers of Wayne county, In¬ diana. Immediately after his marriage William Sowerwine and his wife returned to this county from Wayne county and began life on a farm in Jackson township, where they lived the remainder of their days. They reared a large family of nine children : George W. ; Amanda, who married John L. Good; Noah W., with whom this narrative deals; John W., de¬ ceased; Mary E., who married Benjamin Nagle, and lives in Noblesville; Lillie E., wife of Alfred W. Orr; Carey B. ; Laura E., and Dora E., the last two named being deceased.

Noah W. Sowerwine was born February 12, 1856, in Jackson township, this county, and received his education in the schools of his immediate neighborhood. He has spent his whole life in agricultural pursuits, although he is now retired, having employed a tenant to do the active work upon the farm of eighty acres known as "Broadview," near Gray, between Carmel and Noblesville. He was married August 26, 1877, to Sarah M. Keesling, daugh¬ ter of Martin S. and Adeline (Moore) Keesling, natives of Ohio and Indiana, respectively. Sarah M. Keesling was born November 12, 1858, in Pulaski county, Indiana. Her father, Martin S. Keesling, was born April 29, 1834, and her mother, Adeline Moore, was bom September 6, 183 7-

Mr. and Mrs. Sowerwine are the parents of eleven children: Charles W., Alma E., Tessie P., Elbert O., Rufus H., Nellie A., Ernest L., Leo O., Ralph R., Harold K. and Mary E. Charles W. was born July 11, 1878, and is now a merchant in Noblesville; Alma E., who was bom September 15, 1880, married John S. Macy, a bookkeeper in Indianapolis ; Tessie P., who was born December 6, 1881, is a milliner in Los Angeles, California: Elbert, who was bom August 20, 1884, lives in Tooele, Utah; Rufus IT., born December 10, 1887, is deceased; Nellie A., born March 15, 1889, is the wife of Don B. Jenkins, and lives in Noblesville; Ernest L., bom July

For several years Mr. Sowerwine has been engaged in the sewing mabusiness in connection with his farm. He acted as manager for the Singer Sewing Machine Company for about seven years, since which time he has handled bicycles, sporting goods and pianos in connection with the sewing machine business.

Mr. Sowerwine was elected chief of the State Haymakers Association of Indiana in 1910, and served in this office for one year, during which time he lived in Noblesville. Politically, Mr. Sowerwine is a Republican, and was trustee of Noblesville township for four years. He takes a deep interest in all current events and is ever ready to promote the cause of good government. Religiously, he and his wife are members of the First Metho¬ dist Episcopal church, in the affairs of which they are actively interested.

Edwin B. Murphy

Among the citizens of Washington township, Hamilton county, Indiana, who have built up a comfortable home and surrounded themselves with all the comforts and conveniences of modem life, there is no one more worthy of mention than Edwin B. Murphy. Born and reared in this county, he has passed all of his life within its precincts, and i? therefore intimately ac¬ quainted with every phase of its history. As a chicken fancier, he is a leader not only in his own county but is recognized as one of the foremost poultry experts in the state.

Edwin B. Murphy, the son of Merrit and Martha J. (Chappell) Mur¬ phy, was born September 7, 1858, in Clay township, in this county. The Murphy family came from North Carolina to this state early in the last cen¬ tury, William, the grandfather of Edwin B., being born in that state April 30, 1806. The parents of William came from North Carolina to Indiana and settled in Miami county when William was only eighteen months old, and lived in that county until William was nine years old. They then moved to Wayne county, in this state, where they remained till 1834 when they per¬ manently removed to Hamilton county.

Martha J. Chappell, was born in Westfield and lived in this county all her life, dying June 26, 1880. To Merrit Murphy and wife were born five chil¬ dren: Edwin B., whose history forms the theme of this narrative; Mrs. John B. Stipp, whose husband is a minister in the Friends church at In¬ dianapolis; Elizabeth, a minister of the Friends church at Coloma; Earl W., who is living in Washington township on the old home farm settled by his grandfather; Elbert M., who is farming on the old home place in Clay town¬ ship.

Edwin B. Murphy was educated in the common schools of his immediate neighborhood and later attended Spiceland Academy, one of several excellent academies under the control of the Friends church in the state. After finish¬ ing his schooling he returned to his home county and has been engaged in agricultural pursuits ever since. When sixteen years of age he sent to Pennsylvania for some full-blooded single-comb brown Leghorn chickens, and from that time forward he has been very much interested in the raising of chickens. In addition to raising Leghorn chickens, he handles Barred Ply¬ mouth Rocks, and is widely recognized as one of the most successful poultry breeders in the country. He owns one hundred acres of fine farm land, and is now living in Carmel, though still continuing to give active direction to the affairs of his farm and dairy.

Mr. Murphy has been superintendent of the poultry department at the Indiana State Fair for the past sixteen years, superintendent of the Indiana Fanciers' Association for the past seven years and was assistant superintend¬ ent of the poultry department at the World's Fair at St. Louis in 1904. He has taken prizes and premiums on his chickens and eggs all over the United States. At the egg exhibit at Purdue University in 1913 he won three firsts as well as the grand sweepstakes, with a total score of ninetynine and one-half. In the same year he won the silver cup offered by the American Poultry Association for the best dozen eggs exhibited. In ad¬ dition to his poultry Mr. Murphy raises registered Poland China hogs, and has been very successful in handling them, having found stock-raising a valuable adjunct to his general farming.

Mr. Murphy was married January 22, 1885, to Mary Bunnell, the daughter of Reuben and Ascenath (Powell) Bunnell, both of whom were natives of Indiana, and the former of whom is now dead. To Mr. and Mrs. Bunnell were born four children : Anna, Mary, Ezra and Ella. All of the children but Mary, the wife of Mr. Murphy, are still living with their mother at Broad Ripple, Indiana.

In politics Mr. Murphy has always been identified with the Republican party, but owing to his private affairs, he has never taken an active part in the deliberations of his party in this county. He and his wife are loyal members of the Friends church and contribute liberally of their means to its support. Fraternally, he is associated with the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Murphy is a progressive citizen who is interested in all measures which will in any way improve the welfare of his community and make it a better place in which to live.

Alfred Burroughs

A life of four score and three years in Hamilton county gives Alfred Burroughs the right to be classed among the pioneers of his county. Very few men have lived as long in the county and none has been more closely identified with its progress than he, since his whole life has been spent within the confines of the county. When he was born the county was still practi¬ cally a virgin wilderness with a few clearings scattered over the county, and he has seen it emerge from this primitive condition to its present state as one of the leading agricultural counties of Indiana. The state was in the same condition in 1832 as Virginia was two hundred years ago, and it is diffi¬ cult for the present generation to realize that Indiana has reached its condi¬ tion of to-day within such a short time. A man of the age of Mr. Burroughs has lived through nearly the whole span of Indiana's growth, and has seen the rise of eveiy modern invention which is in use to-day.

Alfred Burroughs, one of Hamilton's most distinguished pioneers, was born in this county on October 6, 1832. His parents, Roswell and Kasias Burroughs, were natives of Kentucky and came to this county shortly after their marriage. His father followed teaming for a short time after coining to the county and then engaged in general farming the remainder of his life.

The education of Mr. Burroughs was secured in the subscription schools of his home neighborhood and was confined to "the three Rs" - readin', 'ritin* and 'rithmetic. The rude log school houses of his boyhood days have given way to handsome brick and stone structures which are found every¬ where in this county. The whole life of Mr. Burroughs has been spent in agricultural pursuits and with a success which stamps him as a man of energy and ability. In the course of an active life of more than eighty years he has accumulated a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which is one of the most highly improved and productive farms in the county.

to this union there were born three children : Mrs. W. R. Walker, of Noblesville; Cassius, a fanner of Sullivan county, Indiana; Mrs. Fanny Rollings, of North Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Burroughs have fifteen grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren living. Mrs. Burroughs was born May 9, 1835, in the state of Ohio and consequently is seventy-nine years of age. This estimable couple celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary in 1914, at their home southwest of Noblesville, and the occasion was a most enjoyable one in every particular. They have made their home on the same farm for more than sixty years, and in that time have endeared themselves to a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

The Republican party has always claimed the support of Mr. Burroughs and his vote has been cast for every Republican candidate for president from Fremont down to the present time. Mr. Burroughs and his wife have been life-long members of the Christian church at Hazel Dell and have been active in all church work. All who know this worthy couple hold them in high esteem and honor them for the excellent life they have led. Rarely, indeed, has a couple the honor of celebrating the sixtieth wedding anniversary, and for this reason the historian of the county takes peculiar pleasure in pre¬ senting the life history of this estimable couple for the consideration of the readers of this volume.

William C. Kendall

The Kendall family of Hamilton county, Indiana, are descendants of Thomas Kendall, Jr., an English Quaker who came to America about the middle of the eighteenth century and settled in Bucks county in the state of Pennsylvania. Thomas Kendall was the son of Thomas Kendall and was born in Westmoreland county, England. The first definite records of the fam¬ ily are set forth in the report of the New Garden Monthly Meeting in Guil¬ ford county, North Carolina, held on November 26, 1763. It appears that in this year Thomas Kendall removed from Pennsylvania to North Carolina with his family, a fact which is set forth in the following statement taken from the record of New Garden Meeting of the date above mentioned. The record reads as follows : ''Thomas Kendall produced a certificate of removal for himself, wife and five children, bearing the date of the eighth month, twentieth day, 1763, which was read and accepted by the Meeting.,, How¬ ever, the records show the births of only four children : William, born July 29, 1754; feenjamin, born December 31, 1756; Elizabeth, born March 20, T75 9; John, born April 20, 1762. Thomas Kendall, the father of these

John Kendall, the grandfather of William C. Kendall, was born at War¬ rington, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, on April 20, 1762, and was about one year old when he went with his parents to North Carolina. He grew to manhood in the latter state and married Ann Underhill. To this union eight children were born : Margaret, Hannah, Thomas, Lydia, Sarah, Ruth, John and Nathan. The first wife of John Kendall died February 22, 1800, and he then married Elizabeth Griffin. To this second union were bom seven children: Nancy, Ascenath, James G., Gula Elma, Ahimaaz, Ahira and Elvira. The mother of these seven children died June 14, 1843.

Ahimaaz Kendall, the father of William C. Kendall, was born in Ran¬ dolph county, North Carolina, October 5, 1813, and grew to manhood in that state. After leaving the state where he was born he was married to Rhoda Stalker, a sister of David Stalker, who had married Elvira, the sister of Ahimaaz. The first wife of Ahimaaz Kendall came with her father and family to Hamilton county, Indiana, and died in this county in 1848, at the age of thirty. The daughter of Ahimaaz Kendall by his first wife was named Rhoda, and she became the wife of Barkley Jones.

The second wife of Ahimaaz Kendall was Elizabeth Carter. She was bom in Guilford county, North Carolina, and at the age of five or six came with her parents, John and Sarah Carter, to Indiana and settled in Hendricks county, about four miles south of Danville. The Carter family came from Ireland to Chester county, Pennsylvania, and moved from thence to Hen¬ dricks County, Indiana. There Elizabeth Carter lived until her marriage to Ahimaaz Kendall. To this marriage were born two' children : Elimina, who died at the age of three weeks, and William C., with whom this narra¬ tive deals. Ahimaaz Kendall died March 8, 1865, an^ in 1868 his widow married Richard Moore. She lived until January 28, 1892.

Ahimaaz Kendall came to Indiana about 1838 and located first in Mor¬ gan county and two years later settled in Hamilton county on the farm in Washington township where his son, William C., is now residing. He en¬ tered one hundred and sixty acres of government land, started to clear the land and the first year only put out two acres of crops. The second year he had cleared five acres, which he planted. The rude log cabin which he first built had no door, and a quilt was used to cover the one opening in the cabin. The bed was made of poles and shucks and the furniture was like¬ wise all home-made. Ahimaaz Kendall prospered year after year and suc¬ ceeded in accumulating a farm of three hundred and sixty acres. He and