Hendricks County, Indiana - Biographical sketches, 1914 (part 19 of 19)

James S. Dodds grew to manhood on his father's farm and when he was eighteen years of age he enlisted, in July, 1863, in Company I, One Hundred Fifteenth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for service in the Union army. His company was attached to the Army of the Cumberland, under General Wilcox, and performed guard duty along the Cumberland river in Tennessee during all his service. Upon his discharge in Februar}', 1864, he returned to his father's farm in Putnam county, where he remained until his marriage, which occurred in iShj. wlien he was united to Lizzie Case, a nati\-e of Putnam county and the daughter of Joseph and Louisa A. (Perkins) Case. She died in 1875, leaving one daughter, Ida G., who married John Wilson and whose death occurred in September, 1903. In March. 1880, Mr. Dodds married Sarah E. Rust, a native of Kentucky and the daughter of Matthew and Eliza Ann (Troutman) Rust. She came with her parents to Jackson township, Putnam county, Indiana, when she was six years of age and lived there until her marriage. To this second marriage were born three children, Iva C, the wife of Frank Robbins, a farmer of Montgomery county, and they have four children, Verlie, Nina, Marie Ruby and Irene; Eliza E. is the wife of Lona Page, a farmer of Putnam county, who has one daughter, Lottie; Vela V., the wife of Elza Page, who is a brother of Eliza's husband and a farmer of Putnam county, and he and his wife are the parents of two children living, James J. and Hazel, one of their children d}'ing in infancy.

Mr. Dodds began farming on rented land in 1867, at the time of his first marriage, and six years later bought forty acres of land in his home township, where he lived until he moved to North Salem in 1913. Being a man of thrifty and frugal habits and assisted by an economical wife, he was able to add to his farm from time to time until he is now the owner of one hundred and thirty-four acres of fine farming land in Jackson township, Putnam county. He has been a life-long farmer and early learned the secrets of successful agriculture. He raises all the crops common to this locality and has also given a due share of time and attention to the raising and breeding of live stock, in the handling of which he has met with splendid success. He is a practical, methodical man in all he does and his efforts have been rewarded by a due meed of success.

Mr. Dodds has been a member of the Baptist church at North Salem for many years, and is now serving as trustee and deacon in that denomination. He was a member of the building committee which repaired the old church at North Salem, making it modern in every way. An interesting incident in Mr. Dodds' career was his short career in Indianapolis. In 1873 he moved to Indianapolis, believing that he was able to live a life more suited to his liking in the city, but the panic of that year swept over the country and within a very few months he was back on the home farm again and never left it until he moved to North Salem last year. He has hosts of friends in North Salem and in the township in which he lived for so many years in Putnam county. While he has been successful in his private affairs, he has also interested him- self in the welfare of the communit}-. and there is no one in the town of his residence who enjoys a greater degree of respect and esteem than does Mr. Dodds.

Arthur M. Davis

The history of the branch of the Davis family which is represented in Hendricks county goes back to a period which antedates the organization of Indiana territory in 1800. Before the name Indiana was ever coined and while George Washington was still in his prime, Evan Davis was born June 8, 1796, near Raleigh, North Carolina. In that same state, on June 17, 1797, was born a girl by the name of Rebecca JNIarshall and in the historic state of Xorth Carolina these two children grew to young manhood and young womanhood. They were married when very young and shortly after their marriage made the long overland trip from Xorth Carolina to Indiana, and settled in Hendricks county a year before the county _was organized, in 1822. Evan Davis entered six hundred and forty acres of land in this county as soon as the land was opened by the government for sale, and added to this from time to time until, at his death, he was the owner of about two thousand acres of excellent land in this county. He died on November 9, 1854, and his wife in the year following. Evan Davis and two of his neighbors founded the first Methodist church in this county, the Salem Camp-meeting church, and contributed both spiritually and financially to its success. He was a large raiser of stock, principally hogs and cattle, and drove his stock overland to on the Ohio river. He brought the first shorthorned bull into this state and introduced this excellent breed of cattle to the farmer. He also raised sheep and the wool from his own sheep made the clothing for the famil_\-. In Xorth Carolina Evan Davis owned slaves, but the girl he married w^as a Quaker and she was very much opposed to slavery. When they were married he promised to free all of his slaves, and before they left North Carolina for Indiana he gave them their freedom. Evan Davis built the first grist-mill in this county and later built two others, but none of them are now standing. He laid out the first graveyard in the county on his own farm and called it the Davis graveyard. At first it was devoted to the immediate family and relati\-es, but later charity bodies were allowed to be placed in the graveyard, through the courtesy of Mr. Davis. He was a Democrat in politics, but never held office; he was a power spiritually in his community, and never seemed to weary of doing good for his fellow men.

David Wesley Davis, the father of Arthur M. Davis, whose history is here portrayed, received his education in the schools of his township and later attended Antioch College, in New York state, where he took a literary course, specializing in mental psychology and general literary subjects. He also attended DePauw University at Greencastle, Indiana, and pursued literary subjects. David Davis was married September 9, 1858, to Amanda E. Newby. and to this marriage were born six children: Alva E., Arthur M., Emmett T., E\-an B., and two who died in infancy. Upon the outbreak of the Ci\'il War, David W. Davis enlisted in Company I, Ninety-ninth Regiment of Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served under Sherman and Thomas, participating in the famous march to the sea in the summer of 1864. He served through the Rebellion with niuch courage and loyalty and was mustered out of the service, without being wounded or having himself impaired. He was a charter member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Belleville, Indiana, and a member of the Grand Army post at Danville. He is a charter member of the r\lethodist church at Belleville and has helped to build two or three churches in the county. In 191 1 Mr. and Mrs. David W. Davis moved to Fairhope. Alabama, near Mobile, where they are now making their home. The}' celebrjited their golden wedding anniversary September 9, 191 3, at the home of Arthur M. Da\'is, their son.

Arthur M. Da\is has lived on the old homestead farm all his life with the exception of ten years which he spent in Mexico as a mining engineer. While in Mexico, he was chosen as general manager of a group of sih'tr mines at Parral, and learned the business by hard knocks and practical experience. He is an authority on the subject of silver mining, and has a great capacity for the detail work which naturally accompanies work of this nature. He receixed a common school education in his home schools and later spent one year of study in Germany. This was followed by six years of practical study in the mines of this country and Mexico. He came back from Me.xico and settled on his farm on June 30, 1908, where he is now lix'ing the quiet life of a farmer. He now farms three hundred and twenty acres, the farm being a part of the same which his grandfather entered in 1822. Everything about his farm is kept- in a very attractive manner, showing that its owner is a man of discriminating taste and good judgment. He raises a great deal of stock and specializes in Duroc hogs and Guernsey cattle, and ships much of his stock to distant points. He also raises shorthorn cattle and is considered a good judge of all kinds of live stock.

^Ir. Davis was married August 9, 1905, to Minnie F. Little, the daughter of Thomas H. and Louisa A. (Parsons) Little, and to this marriage has been born one son, Arthur Marshall, Jr. Mr. Davis is a member of the Masonic fraternity at Plainfield and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at same place. In politics, he is a stanch and active Republican and has lent his influence to the support of the candidates of that party. The nature of his business has kept him from taking any active part in politics, or aspiring to any public position. Mr. Davis is a conservative business man who has proved as successful in the farming business as he did in his mining business. He has built up a name for himself in the county and township as a man who does things. He is well liked by all his neighbors and there is no one in the county who is quicker to lend a helping hand in time of trouble than he, and for this reason he is justly regarded as one of the representative men of his county.

Dr. Herbert C. Sears

The life of the distinguished dentist and public-spirited man of affairs whose name appears above affords a striking example of well defined purpose, with ability to make that purpose subserve not only his own ends but the good of his fellow men as well. He has long held prestige in a calling which requires for its basis sound mentality, intellectual discipline of a high order and a thorough mastery of technical knowledge with the skill to apply the same. He has had that rigid professional training which has enabled him to stand among the front rank of his profession in central Indiana.

Dr. Herbert C. Sears, the son of R. B. and Sarah F. (Cash) Sears, was born in Carrollton, Alissouri, January 6, 1878. His parents were both natives of Danville, Indiana, where his father followed the profession of dentistry for twenty years. Dr. R. B. .Sears traveled a great deal in his younger days and settled in Dan\'ille permanently in 1884, and continued in the practice of his profession until his death, which occurred June 13, 1909, he and his son practicing the last few years together. He was a member of the Presbyterian church and also a member of the Masonic order. He was a veteran of the Civil War, having served for four years in the Fourth Indiana Cavalry. The paternal grandfather of Dr. H. C. Sears, who was ^^'esley B. Sears, came to this state from Kentucky, settling in Hendricks county in the early history of the state of Indiana. Dr. R. B. Sears and wife were the parents of two children, one son dying in infancy, and the other being the immediate subject of this sketch. The widow of Dr. R. B. Sears is now hving in Indianapolis, at No. 1560 College avenue. Of the Cash family, there have been six generations in Hendricks county.

Dr. H. C. Sears received his elementary education in the Danville schools and took his professional course in the Central Dental College at Indianapolis, commencing his active practice in 1900 in his father's office, and continued to practice in this office until the summer of 1913, since which time he has been in the Hendricks building. In his practice he has built up a reputation for good, honest work and has his share of the patronage of the county.

Doctor Sears was married on June 26, 1906, to Ina B. Conn, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Conn, of Danville, and to this union there has been born one son, Herbert Edward. Doctor Sears is a member of the Masonic order, belonging to the Royal Arch chapter and the council of that order. In politics, he is affiliated with the Republican party, but the nature of his profession precludes him from taking an active interest in politics. He is a genial and unassuming man, who has a large circle of friends and acquaintances throughout the county and is rightly considered as one of the representative men of Danville and vicinity.

Elmer B. Arbuckle

Among the citizens of Brown township, Hendricks county, Indiana, who are engaged in rural pursuits and who believe in following twentiethcentury methods, is Elmer B. Arbuckle, farmer and stock raiser. He comes of a splendid family, one that has always been strong for right living and industrious habits, for education and morality, and for all that contributes to the welfare of the community. Such people are welcomed anywhere, for they are empire builders and as such have pushed the frontier of civilization ever westward and onward, leaving the green, wide-reaching wilderness and the far-stretching plains populous with contented people and beautiful with green fields ; they have constituted that sterling horde which caused the great Bishop Whipple to write the memorable line "Westward the course of empire takes its way."

The subject of this sketch was born in Indianapolis, this state, on March 13, 1875, being the son of Marion and Eliza ( Halloway) Arbuckle, the former of whom was also a Floosier by birth and was the son of John and

Elizabeth Arbuckle. Eliza Holloway was a daughter of Joseph and Ehzabeth Holloway and was united in marriage with Marion Arbuckle on December 10, 1871. They took up their residence in Indianapolis, where they continued to live for some time, when they came to Hendricks county and purchased a small tract of thirteen acres in Brown township. There Marion Arbuckle passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring on December 2, 1879. Mrs. Eliza Arbuckle is still living, residing in Lebanon, Indiana, where she owns her home and lives in comfort. She also possesses a tract of some sixty acres in this county, it being just across the highway from the holdings of the subject of this sketch. Marion Arbuckle was one of the patriotic sons of the Union who went to the front during the dark days of the sixties, having been a member of the Fifty-first Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry.

Elmer B. Arbuckle was one of a family of three children and: remained at home until the time of his marriage. November 26, 1898, to Naomi Huddleston, daughter of Fielding and Elizabeth (Patterson) Huddleston. the former of whom was a native of Kentucky, the son of William and Susan (Phillips) Huddleston. The family were prominent in their community, being prosperous slave holders, with a large plantation. Fielding Huddleston came to Indiana when he was about thirty years old and located in Hendricks county, where he purchased land in the northwestern part of Lincoln township. Elizabeth Patterson, mother of Mrs. Elmer B. Arbuckle, was a daughter of Daniel and Sarah (McDaniel) Patterson and the mother of seven children. Mr. and Mrs. Arbuckle have two children living and one, Annis Hester, died when eight years old. Clarence William and Edith Irene are the two remaining, both of whom are with the parents. Mr. Arbuckle has associated with him his son. now twelve years of age, and. despite his extreme youth, the lad shows remarkable intelligence in accjuiring information regarding the origin, care, etc., of the different classes of high-grade live stock on the farm, giving particular attention to the hogs. Mr. Arbuckle makes a specialty of spotted Poland China hogs and exhibits at all the state fairs in the Central West and East. He comes in contact and competition with the very best breeders of this class of live stock and prides himself on the fact that he always gets a generous share of the ribbons. He has the distinction of being the originator of the improved spotted Poland China breed and was instrumental in having a history of the hog written, which pro\'es interesting to the layman as well as fancier. In this history the hog was traced to its origin and developments and improvements noted from time to time. Mr.

Arbuckle also has a thoroughlired Percheroii stallion, but has not had him on exhibit for about three years. He is also interested in poultry, having many fine birds and specializing on single comb buff Orpingtons. These he exhibits at all the big poultry shows of the world and has an enviable record for his pens. Mr. Arbuckle has attained merited distinction in his chosen field of endeavor, due in no small measure to his excellent business ability and the untiring" energy and unfailing determination to win out. He stands today well to the front of those engaged in this class of work and has in training his capable young son, who is in a fair way to accomplish still greater things.

Mr. Arbuckle's fraternal affiliations are with the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Improved Order of Red Men, and in the workings of these various societies he takes an interest. While not a member of any church society, his sympathies are with the Baptist church, of which Mrs. Arbuckle is an active member. In every avenue of life's activities he has performed his part to the best of his ability, believing that anything worth doing at all is worth doing well, the result being that he has won and retains to a notable degree the sincere respect and confidence of all who know him. He has a vast number of acquaintances, among whom are many loyal, stanch and devoted friends, and wherever he goes he receives a hearty welcome. His life has been filled with activity and usefulness, while his sincere interest in the moral and material welfare of the community has gained for him a conspicuous place among the leading men of the county. Because of his high personal character and his genuine worth as a man and a citizen, he is specifically entitled to mention in a work of this character.

William X. Lakin

The record of \\'illiam X. Lakin contains many points of more than ordinary interest. As a mere lad of eighteen he enlisted for service in the Civil War and saw two years of service. As a public official, he ranks as one of the most efficient which Hendricks county has e\'er had, while as a private citizen and business man his reputation has been abo\'e reproach and in all the years which he has lived in this county his life has been replete with well defined purposes and he has so carried himself in his daily life that he has won the influential place in Inisiness circles and the high personal standing among his fellow citizens which is his today. His life has been one of unceasing industry and perseverance and the systematic and honorable methods which he has followed have resulted not only in gaining the confidence of those with whom he has had dealings, but also the building up of a large and prosperous business.

William N. Lakin, the son of William H. and Lucinda (Sargeant) Lakin, was born in Shelby county, Illinois, on February 9, 1845. His father was born near Cincinnati, Ohio, March 22, 1814, and his mother was a native of Virginia, her birth having occurred on September 17, 1816. His grandfather, Joseph Lakin, came from Maryland and settled in Indiana, dying in Hamilton county in 1838. His wife, Margaret Simmons, died in 1850. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Lakin were John and Mary Sargeant, he a native of Virginia and she of Kentucky. They moved to Illinois in an early day, and there his wife's death occurred in 1821, while he died in 1840. Joseph and Margaret (Simmons) Lakin reared a family of fourteen children, the father of William N. Lakin being the eleventh child in order of birth.

William H. Lakin, the father of William N. Lakin, moved from Illinois to Boone county, Indiana, in 1846, when the subject of this sketch was about one year old, and continued to reside there until 1859, when he permanently settled in Hendricks county, at Plainfield., Here he continued in the blacksmithing business until his death, in 1900, at the advanced age of eighty-six years, his wife having preceded him in death about two years previous, in 1898. Mr. and Mrs. William H. Lakin were the parents of ten children, William N. being the fifth child in order of birth. Five of these children are still living in 1913.

William N. Lakin spent his boyhood days in Boone county, coming to Plainfield with his parents, in 1859 when he was fifteen years of age. He started in as a small boy in his father's blacksmith shop, and before he joined the army, at the age of eighteen, he was an expert smith. In 1863 he enlisted in Company H, Fifty-fourth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and ser\'ed three months, the term of his enlistment. Immediately after the expiration of his three-months service he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred Seventeenth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. His second enlistment was for six months, but he served eight months before he was mustered out. During this time he saw service in eastern Tennessee. At the expiration of his second enlistment in February, 1864, he was mustered out and returned to his home, but immediately re-enlisted in the Second Indiana Batterv of heavv artillerv, and was sent with his command to Nashville,

Tennessee. He took part in the battle of Nashville and after that performed guard duty until the close of the war. Immediately after being mustered out of the service he returned to his home county and established a blacksmith shop in Plainfield, which he conducted until 1868, when he moved to Danville, where he continued to follow his trade as a blacksmith for a few years, after which he removed to Coatesville, this county, where he opened a blacksmith shop and later went into the buggy, implement and harness business, which he still continues. He has been very successful in his line of endeavor and has built up a large and lucrative trade in Coatesville and the surrounding community.

Mr. Lakin was married in Septemljer, 1867, to Betty J. Cooke, of Hamilton count}', this state, the daughter of Joshua and Hannah Cooke, and she died in 1870, leaving no children. In 1872 Mr. Lakin was married to Louisa C. Gamble, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Gamble, of Coatesville, and to this second marriage there has been born one child, Otto. Mr. Lakin has been a life-long Republican and has always taken an active interest in local politics. An indication of his popularity and the respect with which he is regarded in the county is shown in the fact that he was elected as treasurer of Hendricks county in 1898. He filled this responsible position to the entire satisfaction of the citizens of the county. He is financially interested in the First National Bank, of Coatesville, being a director in that institution. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Grand Army of the Republic. He and his wife are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Coatesville. Mr. and Mrs. Lakin are highly respected members of society and have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances who esteem them for their many good qualities.

Otto F. Lakin, son of W. N. Lakin, was born in Coatesville, October 2 7,. 1872, and spent his boyhood in that town. After graduatmg from the Coatesville high school he attended DePauw University for two years, after which he was in attendance at a business college at Indianapolis. After spending some years in Indianapolis he came to Coatesville in 1894 and worked for his father. He then took up the undertaking business and now has a furniture store in connection with his undertaking establishment. His store is stocked with fine, up-to-date furniture, and in all lines of his business he is thoroughly modern in his methods and ideas.

Mr. Lakin was married in 1896 to Maude ^iIcAnich, the daughter of S. \Y. and Agnes McAnich, and to this union there have been born three children, Agnes, Russell and Mary Catherine.

Fraternally, Otto Lakin is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, in which he has attained the degrees of the Royal Arch chapter; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has occupied all the offices in the lodge, and holds membership also in the Knights of Pythias.

Daniel Sigler Hazlewood

Among the prosperous farmers of Hendricks county, Indiana, who have descended from distinguished ancestry is Daniel Sigler Hazlewood. His grandfather was one of the first pioneers to settle in this county. Daniel S. Hazlewood was born September 9, 1873, near Hazlewood, Liberty township, Hendricks county, Indiana, his birth occurring in a log cabin on the old home farm which was erected by his father. His parents were James B. and Jane (Stout) Carter Hazlewood.

James B. Hazlewood was also born near Hazlewood on August 16, 1837, and was the son of Daniel Hazlewood, who was a native of Virginia, and when a young man came to Kentucky, where he married, and soon after his marriage he came to Liberty township, this county, with his two children, James and Benjamin. He entered land from the government and later added to his first entry until he was the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of good land in the township. He was a skillful mechanic and followed this trade at his home and in the town of Hazlewood. He and his family were all members of the Missionary Baptist church. Mary Alspaugh, the mother of James B. Hazlewood, was a daughter of Isaac Alspaugh, who was a native of Kentucky.

James B. Hazlewood was married in 1865 to Elizabeth Jane (Stout) Carter, the daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Ruston) Stout. Jonathan Stout was a native of North Carolina and came to this county in an early day with his parents. Mr. and Mrs. James Hazlewood were the parents of three children: Logan, deceased; Mrs. Addie Kivitt, deceased, and Daniel Sigler. whose history is here presented. Daniel Hazlewood, the grandfather of Daniel Sigler, whose history is here presented, had a family of six children : Benjamin; Joseph; James, the father of the subject; Mary, deceased: Jane, who died in early youth, and one who died at the age of nine years. James Hazlewood spent his boyhood days in this county and his whole life was spent on the farm where he was born. He was a member of the i\Iasonic fraternity and the Grangers organization which arose in this state in the seventies.

He was a life-long Democrat and always took an active part in politics. Religiously, he was a member of the Missionary Baptist church at Hazlewood and was a clerk in the church for many years. He died in 1897 on the home place near Hazlewood. He was a progressive farmer in every sense of the word and was a hardworking man all his life. He was a man of liberal ideas and always took an active interest in all public enterprises. The town of Hazlewood w-as named after his father, Daniel Hazlewood. ^

Daniel Sigler Hazlewood spent his boyhood days in the township schools (if Liberty township, and at the same time assisted his father on the home farm. He has li\ed liis entire life upon the farm where he was born, raisingall the crops indigenous to this latitude and putting a part of his attention to the raising of live stock. Mr. Hazlewood was married on March 22, 1899, to Cordelia Maud Wooden, the daughter of Robert S. and Cordelia Jane (VVilhite) Wooden.

Robert Sanford Wooden, the oldest son of Joshua and Penelope Wooden, was born in Oldham county, Kentucky, August 4, r845, '^"d (i\'i.(\. at his home, three miles west of Hall, Indiana, August 30, 1913, at the age of sixty-eight years. He, with his parents, came to Indiana in 1851, where they lived for three years on the Samuel Hadley farm south of Monrovia, after which they moved to the old Wooden homestead in Adams township, Morgan county, wdiere Robert S. grew to manhood. He united with the Methodist Episcopal church at Mount Zion in 1865, and in 1866 went to Everett, Cass county, Missouri, where he engaged in teaching. Four years later he returned to Morgan county, Indiana, and taught in .Adams. Ashland, Gregg and Jefiferson townships, that county. \Miile in the ^^'est he had united with the Christian church, but upon his return home he reclaimed his membership with the ]\Iethodist Episcopal church at Mount Zion and continued a faithful member of that congregation until his death. On July 16, 1871, Mr. Wooden was married to Cordelia Wilhite, and to this union were born six children, Attie, Leslie, Guy, Maud, Hugh and Charles. On June 5, 1885, two angels visited their home. One was the angel of life, who brought with him the gift of the baby son, Charles, and the other was the angel of death, who took their mother home to God. For three years he struggled on alone, caring as best he could for the family of little children, and then, on January i, 1888, he was married to Sarah Ellen Fisher, thus bringing into the home one who has been to the children a devoted mother, counsellor and friend, and who has never tired in her efforts to make home what it should be. ]\Ir. Wooden was a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and was worshipful master of the local lodge at the time of his death. In the fall of 1901, Leslie, the oldest son, went west and has not been heard from since, so it is supposed by the family that he is dead. "Uncle Bob," as he was familiarly called, was a friend to everyone, and because of his jolly, lovingdisposition, he was always cheerful, and if he ever had troubles or disappointments he never discussed them with his friends.

Daniel S. Hazlewood is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons at Hall, Indiana, and the Improved Order of Red Men at Hazlewood. He is also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Pocahontas lodge.

Mr. and Mrs. Hazlewood are the parents of three children, Gladys, Roy and Geneva. He and the members of his family are members of the Missionary Baptist church at Hazlewood and take a zealous interest in all of its activities. Mr. Hazlewood is a trustee of the church. Politically, he is a Democrat, but has never taken a \'ery acti\'e part in the game of politics.

Earl Duxcan

The men who till the soil are the men who stand at the foundation of the prosperity of our country. The profession of farming is one which antedates all others, and the only one which can exist independently of any other, and for this reason the farmer is the backbone of the nation. It is the product of his hands which fills the banks, turns the wheels of the factory and directs all the industries of the country. Farming is really the basic industry, and he who causes two blades of grass to grow where one formerly grew, is performing as useful a mission in life as the man who builds a flying machine, constructs a battle ship or digs the Panama canal.

Earl Duncan, the son of William G. and Matilda (Barnes) Duncan, was born in Liberty township, Hendricks county, Indiana, November 11, 1878. William G. Duncan was one of the early pioneers of this county, and the history of the Duncan family may be considered typical of the history of many of the older families of this county, and it may be found elsewhere in this volume in the sketch of Charles P. Duncan, a brother of the subject of this sketch.

Earl Duncan spent his boyhood days on the home farm and received a good, practical education in the district schools of his home township. Marrying at the age of twenty-three, he immediately engaged in farming south of Amo, this county, and a year later moved to his father-in-law's farm of one hundred and seventeen acres which he is now managing. In addition to raising all the crops of this locahty, he makes a specialty of feeding hogs for the market, and he has gained the reputation of being one of the best hog raisers of the county, this branch of agriculture adding very material!}- to his annual income. He is a progressive farmer and does not hesitate to take advantage of the latest developments of machinery and the newest ideas in the culture of crops.

Mr. Duncan was married on October 9, igoi, to Ada Reitzel, the daughter of George W. and Elizabeth ( Norton) Reitzel, and to this marriage have been born three sons, Wendell, Russell and Ralph.

George Washington Reitzel was born August 29, 1847, '" Hendricks county, Indiana, and is the son of Daniel and Melvina (Burks) Reitzel. Daniel Reitzel was born in North Carolina, and came to Hendricks county, Indiana, with his brother, David, and brother-in-law, Joshua Pickett, when he was twenty-one years of age. Here Daniel Reitzel entered one hundred and sixty acres of land from the government, and two years later sold one hundred acres of his farm to Israel Jackson and sixty acres to David Reitzel. and he then returned to North Carolina, but shortly afterwards returned to this county and bought land in Clay township. Later he went into Hamilton county, but again returned to Hendricks county and bought a farm in Liberty township. He afterwards sold this and purchased a farm in Clay township and in the fall of 1869 went west, where he bought a farm and died in 1873. Melvina Burks was born in Kentucky, and came to Putnam county. Indiana, with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Allen Burks, when a babe in arms. She died in 1878. Daniel Reitzel helped to build the first Lutheran church about one and three-fourths miles south of Pecksburg, this county, -which was a rude log structure. Mr. Reitzel was very highly respected and esteemed in this county. He was twice married, and by his first marriage he had one daughter. Rachel Appleby, who lives east of Avon, Indiana. By Mr. Reitzel's second marriage there were nine children : Allen, who lives in Pecksburg, this county ; George, the father of Mrs. Duncan : Ambrose, also a resident of Pecksburg; William, of Peru. Indiana; John, of Franklin township; Marcus, of Indianapolis, and three daughters who died in infancy. George W. Reitzel was married in 1883 to Lizzie Norton, daughter of Thomas and Rebecca (Harlan) Norton, and her death occurred in 1895. To this marriage there were born two children. Mrs. Ada Dtmcan. and Mrs. Hazel Patterson, of Hazelwood, Indiana. In 1907 George W. Reitzel was married to Julia Henderson and to this marriage were born two children. Helen and \\'illiam Allen. Mr. Reitzel has been a prosperous farmer in the county and is now the owner of two hundred and sixty-nine acres of good farming land in Liberty and Franklin townships. He is a member of the Masonic order at Clayton and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Monrovia. Mr. Reitzel is a Republican in politics and a loyal member of the Lutheran church, of which he is now the only trustee.

Mr. Duncan is a Republican in politics and takes an acti\e interest in the affairs of his party. He has been road superintendent for the past six years, his last term expiring January i, 191 4. He is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men at Hazelwood. Mr. and Mrs. Duncan are both members of the Christian church at Hazelwood and he has been a trustee of the church for the past three years. Mr. Duncan is a man of high ideals, straightforward and . unassuming, and commands the respect of all with whom he comes in contact.

Charles R. Reed

Among the honorable and influential citizens of Hendricks county, Indiana, is the subject of this review, who has here maintained his home for many years, winning a definite success by means of the agricultural industry, to which he has devoted his attention during the years of an active business life. His career has been without shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil, and thus he has e\-er commanded the confidence and respect of his fellow men.

Charles R. Reed is a native of the old Hoosier state, having been born in Marion county about two miles south of Clermont, near the Hendricks county line, on January 11, i860, being the son of Thomas J. and Lucy (Hamilton) Reed, both of whom were natives of Ohio. Both came to Indiana in the early forties with their respective parents, while they were still small children. Thomas J. Reed was a son of Jediah and Catherine (Negelie) Reed, the former being of Scotch-Irish descent, while the latter was of German origin. From her native state of Pennsylvania she came to Ohio, where she and Jediah Reed were married. Jediah Reed was a tanner and carpenter by trade and after his marriage he came to Indiana and settled near Indianapolis, which was at that time but a thriving village. He often told of how he had hunted on the ground where the Marion county court house now stands. After residing in Indianapolis for a time, he removed to near Clermont, where he worked for David McCurdy for several years. He then came to Hendricks county, where he operated a tan yard for Thornton Gorham in Lincoln township. About 1858 or 1859 he purchased land in Lincoln township near Clermont and lived in that vicinity until his death. Thomas J. Reed, father of the subject of this sketch, purchased a tract of forty acres south of Clermont about i860 or 1861. He later sold that and moved to Hamilton county, and it was while residing there that his wife (mother of the immediate subject of this sketch) died. After the death of his wife, Thomas J. Reed sold his farm in Hamilton county and came back to Hendricks county, where he bought forty acres in the southeastern part of Brown township and resided in that vicinity until his death. He was one of the prominent men of the community in his day, a man much honored and respected, and served the township as justice of the peace for a great many years.

Charles R. Reed was one of a family of six children and remained with his parents until some fifteen or sixteen years of age. when he secured his first work as apprentice to the tile-makers' trade. On August 20, 1885, he was united in marriage with Sarah Ettie Ballard. After his marriage, he purchased fifty acres of land in the southeastern part of Brown township and has resided there ever since. Mrs. Reed was born just across the public highway from her present home, on August 28, 1863, being the daughter of James and Sarah (Corbly) Ballard, the former from Scott county, Kentucky, and the latter a native of Maryland. Both came to Indiana when quite young. Sarah Corbly's oldest brother, Richard by name, enjoyed the distinction of being the first white child born in Marion county. After James B. Reed and Sarah Corbly were married, the}^ entered the one hundred and sixty acres where Sarah Ettie was born and lived there the remainder of their lives, rearing an interesting family of thirteen children.

To Mr. and Mrs. Reed has been born one son, Earl Chester, who married Flo Erie Smith, daughter of Henry and Allie (Hilton) Smith. Earl Chester Reed lives about oncrhalf mile north of Tilden, Indiana, on a farm belonging to his father-in-law. He entered Wabash College, but was forced to abandon his idea of completing his course, owing to ill health. He has one child, Reuel Irvin.

wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star. His career thus far has been a consistent and honorable one and, because of his stanch integrity and his accomphshments, he is entitled to hold the sincere confidence and good will of all who know him. He has been one of those solid men of brain and substance so essential to the material growth and prosperity of a community and whose influence has been willingly extended in behalf of every deserving enterprise that has for its object the advancement of the moral or material welfare of the community.

John Raymond Miles

Hendricks county is able to boast of many old and prominent families, men and women whose ancestors for several generations have written their names upon the pages of the history of the county. Among these, the names of Miles and Brady are well known, and in our present article we wish to speak of both.

John Raymond Miles, one of the prominent young farmers of the locality, first saw the light of day upon the farm where he now resides, a trifle less than two miles northeast of Clayton, on the 21st day of May, 1883. He is the son of Thomas J. Miles, a prominent and influential farmer of this locality. This gentleman, of whom we have spoken elsewhere in this volume, was born in 1842 near Belleville, a son of John and Martha Miles. Here he spent his youth and received his schooling, and here, later, he met and married Tabitha Tudor, whose birth occurred in Morgan county, in 1852.

The immediate subject of this article, John Raymond Miles, spent his childhood and youth upon the homestead farm, receiving his schooling in the township schools, and as he grew to manhood and assisted his father with the various activities of the place, he was taught the best agricultural methods of the time, and to this wise training his present success is largely due.

In the year 1905 was solemnized Mr. Miles' marriage to Lela Brady, whose birth also occurred in Hendricks county. In fact her ancestry dates back to many generations of Hendricks county citizens. Her parents, Wesley and Catherine (Riggins) Brady, were also born in Center township, and here, after their marriage, their homestead was established. Mr. Brady was a most successful farmer, aggressive and intelligent, but his greatest business successes have been in the breeding and sale of fine live stock, in which department he is an authority. In the year 1904 he disposed of his farm and

Mrs. Miles remained in the home of her parents until her marriage, receiving her schooling in the neighboring schools, but when, in 1905, she was married to Mr. Miles, the young people established their home in Clayton and for two years they resided here while Mr. Miles continued his agricultural pursuits upon the farm of his father, the homestead where he was born. As time elapsed, however, it seemed advisable for the young people to take up their abode also upon the farm, and here they have remained. Mr. Miles is now the owner of this beautiful estate, including three hundred and ninety acres of land. A successful farmer he has proven, combining industry and energy with modern methods and sound judgment, and, although a young man, he is already widely known and highly esteemed as a successful business man and also for his sterling qualities. A little daughter. May Geraldine, came to bless their home on the 5th day of January, 1906, and is now her mother's able assistant. Their home is noted for its genial hospitality, and the charming social graces of the hostess and the warmth of welcome extended by the host have endeared the family and their home to the many friends who surround them.

William Baxter Vestal

The gentleman of whom this chronicle speaks is one of the honored pioneers of Hendricks county, Indiana, and for over a half century he has been a valued factor in the development of the same, prominently identified with the varied interests of his community. His well-directed energies in the practical affairs of life, his capable management of his own business mterests and his sound judgment have dem.onstrated what may be accomplished by the man of energy and ambition, who, persevering often in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, proves that he is the possessor of those innate qualities that never fail to bring success if properly directed, as they have evidently been in the case of Mr. Vestal.

William Baxter Vestal, a son of Gabin and Catherine (Richards) Vestal, was born in Guilford township, this county, October 29, 1849. The early education of Mr. Vestal was received in the subscription schools of his township of that day and when a young man of twenty he went to Indianapolis and took employment with the George INIerritt Company, manufac- turers of woolens, \\ith which firm he remained for twenty-five years, being advanced from time to time to positions of additional responsibility until, when he left there in 1894, he was the general manager of the company. In the latter year he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Guilford township, this county, on which he has been living for the past twenty years.

Mr. Vestal was married March 12, 1874, to Emma McCall, the daughter of James and Susan McCall, of Lancaster. Ohio. Her father was a carriage maker of that place. Her mother is a second cousin of Gen. William T. Sherman of Civil-war fame. Mrs. Vestal was one of six children born to her parents, and Mr. and ]\Irs. Vestal have a family of four children: Frank J., of Anderson, Indiana, is now chief engineer of the Union Traction Company ; he married Esther Moore, the daughter of John S. Moore, of Plainfield. He was born October 5, 1875, and was educated in the academy at the latter place. He and his wife are the parents of one daughter, born in June, 1903. Catherine May, born April 2, 1878, is the wife of Halstead H. Mills, of Detroit, Michigan, who is a boiler inspector for the Hartford Insurance Company, and they have two children, Jeannette, born November 25, 1906. and Georgia B., born February 4, 1909. Georgia Emma, born August 24, 1881, is the wife of Wilbur Sherfy, of Billings, Montana, a civil engineer, a graduate of Purdue University, and now in the employ of the United States reclamation service. William Baxter, Jr., the youngest one of the children, was born September 13, 1887, and received his education at the INIontana State College. He is now the assistant engineer of the city of Bozeman, Montana, and has charge of the special train which makes an annual tour through the state of Montana, advertising his city.

Mr. and Mrs. Vestal are both consistent and faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Bridgeport, and contribute liberally of their substance to its support. In his fraternal relations Mr. Vestal is a member of the blue lodge, council and chapter of Masons, and also holds membership in the Knights of Pythias. Mr. Vestal has always been a Republican in politics and has been very active in the councils of his party, and in 1901 he was elected to the lower house of the Legislature from Hendricks countv and served in that law-making body with distinction to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. The Legislature passed a law organizing advisory boards in each township in the state, and Mr. Vestal became the chairman of the first advisory board of his home township. In fact, he has always been interested in the public welfare of his community and has ne\'er forgotten the obliga- tions which he owes to the public. His support of such measures and movements which make for the general good can always be depended upon and he is, in the full sense of the term, a representative and self-made American and thoroughly in harmony with the spirit of the advanced age in which he lives. He has not permitted the accumulation of wealth to affect in any way his actions toward those less fortunate than he.

Among the men of Hendricks county who have wandered far from their native heath and won success in foreign fields is Charles W. Wills. When a young man he enlisted in the regular army and for three years was under the command of the President of the United States. He was shifted hither and thither over the extensive territory of our nation from Puerto Rico to the far Philippines on the west. During all of his service he conducted himself as a genuine American soldier and upon the expiration of his enlistment he became a general contractor of Indianapolis. Still later he engaged in the manufacture of automobiles, but the call of the farm was not to be disobeyed and several years ago he moved onto the old homestead farm, where he is now living the life of the plain and unostentatious farmer.

Charles W. Mills, one of the distinguished sons of Hendricks county, was born in Guilford township, October 24, 1870. His parents were \Villiam P. and Olive ( Mattem) Mills, his father being born in Ohio September 17, 1846. William P. Mills came to Indiana when a youth with his parents and settled in Guilford township, and on the home farm which his father left him he lived all of his life until he retired at Plainfield a few years ago, with the exception of a few years when he was in the general merchandise business at West Newton, Marion county. The wife of William P. Mills was born at Bridgeport in Marion county in 1849. Her ancestors came from Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively. Her father was a blacksmith by trade and died in 1893, her mother having passed away in February, 1873. Mr. and Mrs. William P. Mills were the parents of three children: Charles W., whose career is herein presented to the reader; Pearl C, born March 10, 1876, and a widow of Elbin C. Hadley; Henry Halstead, born October 26, 1880, who is at present a boiler inspector for the Hartford Insurance Company of Detroit. Henry married Catherine Vestal, of Plainfield, and has two children, Jeanette and Georgia.

ship and later graduated from the academy at Plainfield. He then took a complete course in the Indianapolis Business College, after which he enlisted for three years as a soldier in the United States regular army. After his enlistment had expired he settled in Indianapolis, where he went into the contracting and building business for a number of years, after which he disposed of his business and entered into the automobile manufacturing business and continued at that for seven years in Indianapolis. Upon his father's retirement from the farm, he took charge of the old home place and has been no less successful in the farming profession than he was as a manufacturer and contractor. In the time he has been on the old home place he has improved it in various ways and is rapidly bringing the farm to a higher state of productivity.

Mr. Mills was married October 12, 1902. to Levada O'Mullane, of Owen county, Indiana, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James O'Mullane. To Mr. and Mrs. Mills have been born five children, all of whom are still at home : Dorothy Pearl, Charles Julian, Beverly O'Mullane. Alax Owen and Sherman Eugene.

Mr. Mills and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Bridgeport. He lent his support to the Democratic party and is in hearty sympathy with the Bryan-Wilson mo\'ement in Indiana at the present time. I\Ir. ^Mills' life has been one of action and persistence and the systematic and honorable methods which he has followed have resulted in not only gaining the confidence of those with whom he has had dealings, but also in elevating him in the esteem of his fellowmen. He is a man of pleasing address and is noted for his hospitality and kindliness.

Eli H. Anderson

The agricultural interests of Guilford township, Hendricks county, have an able representative in Eli H. Anderson, a man who has succeeded in his chosen life work because he has worked persistently along such lines as cannot well fail in bringing success. He never lets the grass grow under his feet, but is always busy, and he believes in doing well whatever he attempts ; thus, by having system in all his work, he has forged to the front and is in every way deserving of the respect in which he is held by all who know him.

Eli H. Anderson, one of the most extensive land holders of Hendricks county, was born March 18, 1865, in the town of Mooresville. His parents were Thomas C. and Anna ( White) Anderson, his father being a native of Ohio and his mother of Wayne county, Indiana. Thomas Anderson, a farmer and brick mason, came to Hendricks county before the war and settled in Washington township, where he bought a c^uarter of a section of land. After three years' residence on this farm, he moved to Six Points, in this county, where he farmed for the next nine years. The remainder of his life was spent in Iroquois county, Illinois, where he died in 1873. ^'^ wife dying September 24, 1898. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Anderson were born four children, only two of whom are living, Benjamin W.. whose history is set forth in this volume, and Eli H.

Eli H. Anderson is proud of the fact that he was born in a rude log cabin in the midst of a little clearing which his father had made on their farm. In this little cabin, surrounded by very primitive conditions, he and his brothers and sisters grew up. Their parents were ambitious for their children and gave them the best schooling which the neighborhood afforded. Hard work was the portion that was deeded out to the children of the Anderson family and what they profited by this is shown in the success that has attended the two living children, Eli and Benjamin. The whole life of Eli H. Anderson has been spent upon the farm and there is no feature of farming life that he does not thoroughly understand; he has made it his life study, and now, in the present day when the teaching of agriculture is becoming general throughout the country, it seems that farming is to be raisefl to the dignity of a profession.

Mr. Anderson was married February i"], 1901, to Lucille Nysewander, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jasper Nysewander. Mrs. Anderson was born near Plainfield and is one of a family of eight children, both of her parents being deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have two sons, Benjamin Rufus, born September 2, 1903, and Clifford Eli, born March 9, 1905. Mr. Anderson is a member of the Knights of Pythias and is interested in the activities of the lodge. He lends his strong support to the Republican party. Religiously, he is a member of the Friends church, and may always be found in hearty co-operation with those who are advancing the welfare of his community. Mr. Anderson has been a life-long farmer and has been living on his present farm of four hundred and forty acres for the past fourteen years, where he does general farming which is peculiar to this locality. He has made a specialty of stock raising and finds this a valuable addition to his yearly income from the farm. In all the relations of life he has proved a man among men and because of his sterling qualities and stanch integrity he is well deserving of the confidence which has been placed in him by his fellow citizens.

John L. Portwood

Agriculture has been an honored vocation from the earliest ages and, as a usual thing, men of honorable and humane impulses, as well as those of energy and thrift, have been patrons of husbandry. The free, outdoor life of the farm has a tendency to foster and develop that independence of mind and self-reliance which characterize true manhood and no greater blessing can befall a boy than to be reared in close touch with nature in the healthful, lifeinspiring labor of the fields. It has always been the fruitful soil from which have sprung the moral bone and sinew of the country, and the majority of our nation's scholars and distinguished man of letters were born on the farm and are indebted to its early influence for the distinction which they have attained.

John L. Portwood was born in Estill county, Kentucky, on January 17, 1867, the son of Leonard and Martha (Portwood) Portwood, both of whom were natives of that state. Martha Portwood was a daughter of Joseph and Susan (Gentry) Portwood. The family were slave holders, as were most Kentuckians of that day who were at all blessed with this world's goods. Leonard Portwood, father of the immediate subject of this sketch, was also an owner of slaves, having three at the time of the opening of the late rebellion. John L. Portwood was a child of but twenty-two months of age when his father, Leonard, departed this life, and the widow continued to operate the plantation with the assistance of her older sons. The subject lived with his mother until the time of his marriage, when he came to Indiana, locating in Hendricks county, where he engaged in agricultural work, hiring out by the month to farmers in the community. He continued in this way for four years, saving as best he could and at that time he was able to purchase one acre of ground about a mile and a half east of Brownsburg. He put this acre into an excellent state of cultivation, raising small garden truck thereon and also rented a larger tract of land close by, where he carried on general farming. He was in a way to prosper and at the end of four years had earned and saved sufficient money to purchase forty acres of land, located something over two miles northeast of Brownsburg. There he lived for two years, when he sold it and bought a forty-acre tract four miles northeast of Danville. There he lived for two years, and in 1906 sold it and purchased the seventy acres where he now resides, some three miles north of Brownsburg. Mr. Portwood has never specialized on any particular line of crops or stock, simply carrying on general farming, but this he has made pay him well, owing to his unfaihng energy, untiring effort and excellent business ability. In his youth he received but a limited education, but has endeavored to overcome this handicap in every possible way and has won out through his pluck and determination. When Mr. Portwood arrived in Brownsburg from Kentucky he had but fifty cents in his pocket and through his own judicious management and effort he has made for himself his comfortable home and well cultivated acres.

In 1894 Mr. Portwood was united in marriage with Rhoda Richardson, who was born December lo, 1877, the daughter of Basil and Amy (Thompson) Richardson. All were natives of Kentucky. Amy Thompson was a daughter of Jesse and Elizabeth (Riddle) Thompson and Basil Richardson was a son of David and Polly (White) Richardson. To the subject and wife have been born nine children, namely : Avery L., John, Nora, Bertha, Chester, Herman, Hazel, Martha and Lucile, all of whom are with the parents. The family is highly respected and considered among the leading citizens of the community. Both Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are members of the Christian church and give of time and means to further the cause of that society in their community. Mr. Portwood is a man whom to know is to admire, for he has led a most exemplary life and has sought to do his duty in all relations with his fellow men, being a man of honor, unswerving integrity and enterprise, consequently he is eminently deserving of mention in a history of his county, along with other well-known and representative citizens.

John Hadley Almond

The present age is essentially utilitarian and the life of every successful man carries a lesson which, told in contemporary narrative, is productive of much good in shaping the destiny of others. There is, therefore, a due measure of satisfaction in presenting, even in brief resume, the life and achievements of such men, and in preparing the following history of the progressive farmer and dairyman whose name appears above, it is with the hope that it may prove not only interesting and instructive, but also serve as an incentive to those who contemplate making agriculture their life work.

John Hadley Almond, the son of Pleasant and Minerva J. ( Hadley) Almond, was born near Plainfield, Indiana, October 12, 1865. His parents were both natives of Hendricks county, his father dying December 10, 1907, on the farm which he bought in 1857; his wife died on the old home farm on October 26, 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Pleasant Almond were the parents of four children: Theophilus, who died in April, 1893; Roscoe; John Hadley; and Sarah C, who died October 8, 1873.

John H. Almond received his education in the district schools and completed his course in the Plainfield Academy. Until his marriage he worked on his father's farm and immediately after his marriage he went onto a farni of his own, where he has continued with uniform success up to the present time as a farmer and stock raiser. Though he has not neglected his general farming, he has paid special attention to his live stock business. At present he is conducting an extensive dairy and has had remarkable success in this line of business.

Mr. Almond was married March 13, 1889, to Emma J. Hadley, of Morgan county, the daughter of Zimri and Luretha Hadley, and to their union have been born four children: Luretha M., born February 28, 1892, and died August zj, 1913; Eliza O., born June 10, 1895; Laura L., born April 21, 1896; Earl C, born September it^, 1898. Eliza and Laura have both graduated from the Central Academy and the youngest child is now in the academy. Mr. and Mrs. Almond are giving their children the advantages of an education and have assisted them in every way to prepare themselves for their teacher's career.

Mr. Almond has been a stanch supporter of the Republican ticket and has taken a part in the local conventions of his party, although he has never been a candidate for any office at the hands of his party. He and the rest of his family are loyal members of the Friends church and are interested in all of the activities of that denomination. Mr. Almond is one of those men who has a splendid personality and has always been an energetic and enterprising citizen who has attained a definite success because he worked for it. For this reason he justly merits the respect and esteem which has been so willingly accorded him by his fellow citizens.

Col. John T. Barnett

There is one profession which has enrolled very few rfen from Hendricks county and that is the military service of the United States. Col. John T. Barnett was the first man of the county to graduate from West Point Militarv Academy, and the second man from the cotmty to command a regi- inent during a war. He has had a long and varied career in the service of his country, and since his retirement, on account of disabiHty, he has been no less active in civil life.

Col. John T. Barnett, who is now living at No. 2001 North Delaware street, Indianapolis, Indiana, was born three miles west of Danville, September 2, 1 85 1, on the same farm which his father entered from the government. His parents were William and Nancy (Buchanan) Barnett. His father was a native of Fluvanna county, old Virginia. William Barnett, with his parents, came west and settled in Shelby county, Kentucky, in 1808. About 1832 William Barnett came to Hendricks county, Indiana, and bought and settled on the farm where he lived the rest of his life.

Nancy Buchanan Barnett was a direct descendant of the famous Scottish scholar, historian and poet, George Buchanan, of the Scottish clan of Buchanan. Her grandfather, Alexander Buchanan, came direct from Scotland to this country about 1760. She was born and raised near Versailles in Woodford county, Kentucky. With her father she came to Hendricks county, Indiana, as a young woman and settled near old Belleville. She was united in marriage to William Barnett about 1840.

William and Nancy Barnett were prominent and active members of the Missionary Baptist church throughout their lives, he being clerk of the church from the time he came to Hendricks county till his death. He died in 1875, at the age of seventy-one years. His widow, Nancy Barnett, lived on said farm till her death in iSqo in the seventy-ninth year of her life.

To ^^'illiam and Nancy Barnett were Ijorn seven children, five of whom are still living: Levi A. Barnett, of Danville, Indiana; Mrs. Harriet Ellen McKitrick, of Indianapolis, Indiana : Dr. Eli S. Barnett, of Salt Lake City, Utah ; Mrs. Nancy A. Whatley, whose husband is an eminent ph}'sician of Parral, old Alexico; and Col. John T. Barnett, the immediate subject of this sketch.

Col. John T. Barnett received his early education in the district schools of his township and the old Danville Academy. After teaching school about one year he entered Asbury (De Pauw) University in the fall of 1871, and he completed the freshman year with the class of 1875. Receiving an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, upon the recommendation of Gen. John Coburn, the then congressman, he entered said academy in June. 1873. He graduated from the Military Academy in June, 1878, number fourteen in his class. He stood specially well in his class in mathematics and allied subjects. Colonel Barnett was obliged to remain out of the academy one year on account of severe illness from typhoid fever. He was assigned to the Fifth United States Cavalry as second lieutenant United States Army.

After the customary graduating leave of absence, he joined the Fifth United States Cavalry October i, 1878, at Fort D. A. Russell, near Cheyenne, Wyoming. He was in active service during the next eight years, and served at various posts with his regiment and on detached duty in Wyoming and Texas. In 1886, he was compelled to retire from active service on account of disability incurred in line of duty, since which time he has been on the retired list of the United States Army. After his retirement he settled in Danville for awhile, but his health still remained very precarious. He suffered from nervous prostration, and spinal anemia which was largely brought on by mountain fever and the high altitude in which he served during his active service.

In 1893 Colonel Barnett moved to Indianapolis and settled on Meridian street, where he lived for about one year. His health having somewhat improved, he removed to Piqua, Ohio, in the spring of 1894 and engaged in the hardware business. He became principal owner, president and manager of the Barnett Hardware Company at Piqua and remained as such till 1899, when he disposed of his interests and returned to Indianapolis, where he now lives at the corner of Twentieth and Delaware streets. Upon his return to Indianapolis he engaged in the manufacturing pharmaceutical business for a short time till a return of his old disease caused him to give it up. When he again became improved in health he engaged in his present real estate, loan and insurance business. His office is now at No. 50 North Delaware street, Indianapolis.

In 1893 Colonel Barnett was appointed by Governor Matthews, assistant inspector general of the Indiana National Guard, with the rank of major. which position he held till about 1895, when he resigned on account of absence from the state. At the beginning of the Spanish-American war, Colonel Barnett offered his services to the secretary of war and to the governors of Ohio and Indiana.

The Governor of Indiana availed himself of his valuable services and he was appointed colonel and commander of the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry in May, 1898, and he at once took his regiment' to Camp Alger, Virginia. The regiment was stationed at Camp Alger, Thoroughfare Gap, Virginia, Camp Meade, Pennsylvania, and was mustered out of the service at Camp Mount, Indianapolis, about the middle of November, 1898. While at Camp Alger, Colonel Barnett commanded the Second Division of the Second Army Corps for a short time, and his brigade for about one-half of the time he was in the service.

On the i8th of December, 1879, Colonel Barnett was married to Emma Charlotte Peirsol, the only daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth J. Peirsol, a prominent familyof Hendricks county, Isaac Peirsol being a successful merchant and banker of Danville. To Colonel and Emma C. Barnett two children were born: William P.. who died at birth, February 14, 1881, and Chester P., born January 14, 1887. Emma C. Barnett died in May, 1892. and in the following year Colonel Barnett married Cora C. Campbell, the daughter of L. M. Campbell, a prominent lawyer of Danville, Ind. No children were born of this second marriage.

Chester P. Barnett, the only child of Colonel Barnett, graduated from Manual Training high school at Indianapolis and immediately entered West Point Military Academy, from which he graduated in 1910. He was attached to the Fifteenth United States Cavalry and stationed at Fort Meyer, Virginia, until September, 1913, when he was transferred with his regiment to Fort Bliss, Texas. He is now in the midst of the stirring events which are taking place there every day. Chester was married, in June, 191 1, to Katherine Davis Brown, the granddaughter of ex-Senator Henry. Gassaway Davis, of West Virginia, and to this happy union there has been born one son, Davis Peirsol Barnett. Colonel Barnett can be justly proud of the fine record his son is now making. Chester P. Barnett has an estate in Hendricks county valued at sixty thousand dollars.

Colonel Barnett was a member of the Sigma Chi Greek-letter fraternity while in DePauw University and is a member of the alumni chapter at Indianapolis, being president of the same for one year. He is a member of the Sons of the Revolution and served as its president, and has been on its board of managers since 1899. He has always been interested in Masonry and has belonged to the fraternity since he was twenty-one years of age. As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, he is chairman of its military committee. He is a member of the Military Order of Foreign Wars, Spanish War Veterans, and Spanish War Camp, of all of which he has been commander. In politics the Colonel has always been identified with the Democratic party and is a member of the Indiana Democratic Club. He is a member of the Christian church and contributes to its support. Colonel Barnett has led a very busy and useful career and has made a name for himself in his profession.