Johnson County, Indiana - Chapter 7, 1888 (part 6 of 6)

John M. Winchester, deceased, was born in Jefferson County, Ind., on March 23, 1826, and died October 28, 1887. His parents were Serrill and Mary &. (Miller) Winchester. The father was born in Hardin County, Ky., on March 4, 1804, and the mother in Rutherfoid County, N. C, on April 2, 1803. Their deaths occurred October 1, 1854, and June 3, 1867, respectively. To the parents the following children were born: John M. (subject) ; Nancy S., June 16, 1827; Jane S., June 28, 1828; William R., March 1, 1830, died November 18, 1844; Harvey C, March 16, 1832; Minerva, September 17, 1833, died March 20, 1861; Jordan M., January 23, 1835, died September 8, 1858; Malissa A., born May 31, 1837; Washington N., December 27, 1838, died July 13, 1841; Louisa, born June 27, 1844, died June 27, 1844. The subject of this sketch followed farming as a vocation, and returned to Franklin, in August, 1 88 1. On August 20, 1851, he was married to Harriet B. Demaree, and to this union eight children were born, five of whom still survive. The wife died October 17, 1864, and on December 26, 1865, he was married to Mrs. Elizabeth A. Fisher, who was born in Johnson County, Ind., on January 20, 1839, and is the daughter of James H. and Jane (Dobbins) Graham. James Graham was born in Shelby County, Ky., on June 6, 1809, and died April 29, 1886. Jane Graham was born in Pendleton District, S. C, on November 10, 181 5. They were married March 13, 1834. To this union the following children were born: Man- A., born March 24, 1835; Charles H., November 14, 1836, who served in Company F, Fifth Indiana Cavalry, and was a prisoner in Libby, Salisbury and Andersonville prisons, escaping from the latter; John F., born December 30, 1840, served in Company I, Seventeenth Indiana Regiment, died in West Virginia in 1861; Robert G., born October 15, 1843, deceased; Margaret J., September' 3, 1845, deceased; Thomas W., February 12, 1849; James W., December 24, 1850; Belle C, April 12, 1853; Washington F., October 22, 1856. To the union of our subject and Mrs. Elizabeth Fisher, no children were bora. On October 29, 1857, Elizabeth A. Graham, widow of our subject, was married to. James M. Fisher, who was born December 15, 1839, ^n Johnson Countv, Ind. He enlisted in August, 1861, in Company F, Seventh. Regiment Indiana Infantry, and left Franklin August 29, of the same year. He was a non-commissioned officer of the company, and was killed in the skirmish line on North Ann River, Virginia, during the Wilderness campaign. On May 24, 1864, and his remains were buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. To the union of Mr. Fisher and Elizabeth A. Graham, two sons were born, as follows: Irwin, August 14, 1858, and Charles L., August 15, i860.

William J. Williams, A. M., superintendent oj public, schools, Franklin, Ind., was born at Welsh Hills, Licking Co., Ohio, June 4, 1845. His father, John Williams, was a native of Brecenshire, South Wales, and emigrated with his parents to this country when sixteen years of age. He located in Ohio, first in Delaware County, then in the city of Columbus, and finally in Licking County, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred in March, 187S. At the age of thirty-seven years, he married Miss Esther Jones, also a native of Wales. The result of this union was six sons and five daughters. Mr. Williams, until ten years of age, attended school continuously, but after that period his lessons were limited to a winter term of four months. At twelve, years of age he began to contribute to his own support, and from that time to the present all the money he has expended, whether in acquiring an education or in procuring the necessities of life, has been the product of his own efforts. At the age of sixteen he prepared to enter Denison University, when his plans were frustrated by a serious accident which befell his father. Being the eldest son, the farm work devolved upon him, and the idea of obtaining a collegiate education was for a time being abandoned. His father's recovery gave the young lad an opportunity to take a school during the winter. He taught three months, receiving therefor $50 as remuneration. This he considered fair wages in compaiison with farm work, which averaged from 25 cents to 40 cents per day. He next conducted a successful school and with what remained of his salary at the close of the session, paid his way through the spring term at college. He began a regular classical course in September, 1862, and continued it for three months, when, his funds becoming exhausted, he was compelled to stop. During his connection with the university he taught different terms. He remained in college seven years, graduating in the scientific and classical courses. After obtaining his diploma, he was undecided which of the professions, teaching or the ministry, he should adopt." It should be remembered in this connection, that he had united some years previously with the Baptist Church, at Greenville, but a year later removed his membership to the church at Welsh Hill. By this last organization he was given a license to preach. The Ohio Baptist Educational Society voted him sufficient aid to begin a theological course at Newton Center, Mass. He chose to teach instead, and went to Bradford, Ohio, where he opened a private school, but ill-fate seemed to have singled him out as its victim. He had taught but two weeks, when the prevalence of small pox in town broke up the attendance. To his great joy he succeeded a few weeks later in obtaining the position of principal of the Winamac high school. Here he remained two years. From Winamac «he removed to Rochester, Ind., and became superintendent of public schools, from 1873 to 1881, when he was elected co-superintendent, and served two terms, after which he was called to take charge of the teachers' department of Franklin College, which position he held for two years, when he was elected superintendent of the public schools of Franklin, Ind. The political affiliations of Mr. Williams have always been with the republican party. He was married June 20, 1878, to Miss Rosa Brackett, daughter of Dr. Charles Brackett, who died in the service of his country, at Helena, Ark., February 23, 1863, where he was stationed as surgeon of the Ninth Illinois Cavalry. Mrs. Williams combines all the qualities of the "excellent woman." She is a lady of education and refinement, and possesses those graces of mind and heart that make her especially attractive. Their union has been blessed with one son and two daughters: Fred, Margorie and Edith. Mr. and Mrs. Williams are highly esteemed where ever known.

Thomas W. Woollen was born in Dorchester County, Md., April 26, 1830. He was the second son of Edward and Anna Woollen, whose maiden name was Wheeler. The Woollens are of English descent. In the forepart of the seventeenth century, Mr.

Woollen, wife, and several children , emigrated from London to this country, and on the voyage the father and all the children died of disease incident to such journeys, the wife alone, who was encicnte, reaching Philadelphia. This woman afterward gave birth to a son, from whom sprang all of the name now known to be in this country, so far as their history has been traced. In 1642, when Capt. Lamberton led an English colony from New Haven into Delaware, John Woollen, who seems to have been something of a backwoods linguist, and who is supposed to have been the son of Mr. Woollen, before mentioned, was employed by Lamberton as Indian interpreter. Mr. Woollen drifted down the peninsula to the eastern shore of Maryland, where there was an English settlement, and settled upon Taylor's Island, in the Chesapeake Bay. Thomas W. Woollen's grandfather, William Woollen, was born on Taylor's Island, something over a hundred years after old John Woollen settled there. The youngest son of William Woollen was Edward, the father of the subject of this sketch, who was born in 1803, in the same county that his fathers had lived in for a century and a half. Edward Woollen was a farmer in moderate circumstances. During the summer months Thomas worked upon his father's farm, and in the winter he attended the country schools. At fifteen years of age, he removed to Baltimore. He applied himself to the carpenter's trade, studying every book to which he had access. With none to guide him in the selection of books, it may well be supposed his reading was of a very miscellaneous character, but even such reading was better than none. In 1844, his brother, William Wesley Woollen, left home and went to Madison, Ind. There he was successful in getting public employment, and of course wrote the fact to friends at home. Upon a boy far in his teens, this newTs could have but one effect. Thomas W. laid aside his miter-box and handsaw and set out for Indiana; this was in the spring of 1848. John Taylor was at that time clerk of the Jefferson circuit court, and William Wesley Woollen had been his deputy. A deputyship opening for him in the auditor's office, Thomas was installed as .deputy in the clerk's office under Taylor. There he continued 'up to the spring of 1852, when he became deputv treasurer under his brother, who had in the meantime been elected to that office. In the fall of that vear, Col. John Chambers was elected county treasurer, and he continued Thomas in the office as deputy up to 1854, when, his term being about to expire, the deputy was placed in nomination as the democratic candidate for the office itself. But that was a disastrous year for democratic nominees all over the countrv. Know-Xothingism, which had sprung up in a night, met with great triumpns that year, and of those who failed to with- stand its assaults was the democratic candidate for treasurer in Jefferson County. The entire democratic ticket was defeated. While in the clerk's office, at the suggestion of the Hon. A. C. Downey, then judge of the Jefferson circuit court, he had been industriously reading law, intending to prepare himself for that profession as soon as he should be able to do so. Under a liberal arrangement with Col. Chambers, while his deputy, he was able to acquire the means to carry out his purpose. Having, in 1850, been married to Harriet J. Williams, daughter of the late Judge Williams, of Jackson County,, and now having been defeated and was out of public employment, he sat down in the shade of his own house and continued the study of law. This he kept up to the spring of 1856, when he left Madison and went to Vernon, where Benjamin F. Lewis had just been elected clerk, and, on the suggestion of Judge Downey, Woollen was employed for a few months in the office to introduce the new clerk to its duties, after which he commenced the practice of law. This, however, did not suit him, and, in a short time, he moved to Franklin, and in connection with Jeptha D. New, opened a law office there. But Mr. New returning to Vernon soon after, Woollen was left alone to push his way as best he could. It is not necessary to say he succeeded. As a safe and sound adviser, whether in affairs political or legal, he ranks deservedly high. By reason of his activity in political affairs, he was chosen, in 1862, to make the race on the democratic ticket for joint representative from Johnson and Morgan counties, and was elected over his opponent by 5^° votes. The subject of this sketch was elected cashier of the First National Bank in 1S65. In 1866, he was the democratic candidate for circuit judge, but was defeated in a circuit overwhelmingly republican by a party majority. In 1868, while actively engaged in his banking business, he was presented before a democratic nominating convention, held at Morgantown, as a candidate for common pleas judge. The directory of the bank now made him president of that institution, and it was thought, with the clerical aid rendered in the bank by the other officers, he would be able to serve as judge, and at the same time supervise the general business of the bank. This arrangement proved unsatisfactory. He was able to attend to his judicial duties up to about the beginning of 1870, when it was thought by the directory of the bank that his active services in that institution were imperatively demanded. In the spring of 1879, his wife had died, leaving him with a large family of children, who needed his presence at home, and he concluded to accept the offer of the board of directors to again take full charge of the bank. During the six years of his connection with the bank, not a dollar was lost to the stockholders by any act of his, and when he left it, its stock was selling readily at $130 to the share. On his retirement from the bank, he resumed the practice of the law, in partnership with Cas Byfield, Esq. In 1872, Mr. Admire, candidate for the lower house from Johnson County, refusing to support Mr. Greeley, the central committee displaced him and put Judge Woollen on the ticket as the democratic candidate. Admire having been regularly nominated and refusing to withdraw, it made the race a doubtful one, but Judge Woollen was elected by a majority of 341 votes. During the legislative term that followed, he took a leading part in the legislation of the state. He was, in some respects, uthe acknowledged democratic leader of the house." In 1874, he was a candidate for the office of attorney-general, but was defeated; but, in 1878, being again a candidate for that office, he was nominated, and, at the general election of that year, was elected to the office over his opponent, Judge D. P. Baldwin, by a majority of 14,461 votes, and it was found that he was singularly well qualified for the position. In 1880, he was again nominated, this time by acclamation, but, at the October election, he went down with the residue of the state ticket. Judge Woollen returned to Franklin and resumed the practice of the law in partnership with his former partner, Judge Banta.

E. W. Wyrick, dry goods merchant of Franklin, Johnson Co., Ind., is a native of Virginia, having been born in Wythe County, that State, on June 15, 1829. He is the youngest of nine children, born to Nicholas and Elizabeth (Leonard) Wyrick. The father was born in Virginia, in 1785, and his parents were Germans, their parents being natives of Germany. The mother was also born in Virginia, in 1793, and like her husband, was of German descent, both her parents being natives of Germany. In the fall of 1831, Nicholas Wyrick emigrated to Indiana, and located in Johnson County. At that time but few white settlers were in the county, the settlements being few and far between. He located on Stott's Creek, in what is now Union Township, where he had entered a tract of eighty acres of government land. To this he subsequently added forty acres more. He followed farming during his life, never entering public life, as his inclinations were for the quiet and independent life of a farmer. While a religious man in principle, he was not a member of any church organization, though early in life was christened. His death occurred in 1846. The mother was a member of the Methodist Church, and died in 1875. Our subject was reared on his father's farm, and secured a limited education, the schools during his boyhood being meager, and the opportunities for securing an education limited. At the age of seventeen years, he learned the carpenter's trade, and followed the same for a period of seven years. During the above time he saved some money, and at the end of the same, he purchased the interests of the heirs of his father's farm, and removed thereon, where he remained until 1856. He then removed to White River Township, where he purchased a farm of 160 acres, and remained there until 1871, and then engaged in merchandising at Browntown, Johnson County. In 1875 he removed to Franklin and continued merchandising, and now owns one of the leading dry goods and notion houses in the city, situated on the corner of Jefferson and Water Streets. He was married October 10, 1850,. to Elizabeth Garshwiler, who was born in Johnson County, Ind., in 1833, and is the daughter of George Garshwiler, a native of Kentucky. To this union a son and daughter have been born, the son, George W., being born on August 7, 1851, and the daughter, Nancy Belle, on November 10, 1853. Mr. Wyrick, wife and daughter, are members of the Christian Church. Mr. Wyrick is a democrat in politics, and was elected trustee of White River Township two terms.