Tipton County, Indiana - Biographical sketches, 1914 (part 9 of 11)

Omer Darrow

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 industry. The free out-door life of the farm has a decided tendency to foster and develop that independence of mind and self-reliance which characterizes true manhood and no truer bless¬ ing can befall a boy than to be reared in close touch with nature in the health¬ ful, life-inspiring 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 great warriors, renowned statesmen and distin¬ guished men of letters were born on the farm and were indebted largely to its early influence for the distinction which they attained. Among the many young men of Tipton county who have not been seized by the wanderlust and have been content to cast their lot in this favored community as tillers of the soil, the gentleman whose name heads this paragraph is a striking example of what can be accomplished in these days of highly organized and scientific methods in the operation of agricultural plants.

Omer Darrow, farmer of the beautiful Home Lawn farm of two hun¬ dred and four acres, three miles west of Elwood, in Tipton county, Indiana, first saw the light of day October 29, 1882, on the Jackson farm, one-half mile south of New Lancaster, this county, the son of Lemuel and Mary (Level) Darrow. Lemuel Darrow, the subject's father, was a farmer, born and reared in this same township, where he was honored and respected bv his neighbors as a man of industry and integrity. He was the father of ten

An exceptionally good education was acquired by Mr. Darrow, he at¬ tending the New Lancaster school until he reached the age of twelve years, then pursuing his studies in the school at Omega, Hamilton county, for one term, after which he attended the educational institutions in Tipton, event¬ ually finishing at Elwood, with a term at the Hobbs high school. On reach¬ ing his legal majority, the subject was for a time employed in a store in Tipton, but soon gave up this to take to farming on land which he rented from his father. By a course of careful economy and strict attention to the details of his agricultural operations he was in time in a position to purchase land for himself, and he bought thirty-five acres of good land near Hobbs, this county, this land now constituting his present highly developed and val¬ uable home place.

On December 24, 1903, Mr. Darrow was married to Maud E. Hobbs, the daughter of Granville H. Hobbs, of Hobbs, and to this union have been born three children, Charles, Ruth J. and John R. The subject, in additior to general farming, has devoted considerable attention to the raising of good stock, and has been excedingly successful in this department. The family of Mr. Darrow are all faithful members of the Christian church, in which they display a deep and earnest interest. Although his father was quite active in political affairs, having served as county commissioner and also as county treasurer, Mr. Darrow has never sought public office, being content to devote his time to his agricultural affairs. He casts his ballot with the Democratic party.

William A. Yohe

It is a pleasure to investigate the career of a successful, self-made man. Peculiar honor attaches to that individual who, beginning the great struggle of life alone and unaided, gradually overcomes unfavorable environments, removes one by one the obstacles from the pathway of success and by the master strokes of his own force and vitality succeeds in forging his way to the front and winning for himself a competency and a position of esteem and influence among his fellowmen. Such is the record of the popular citizen of Madison township, Tipton county. Indiana, to a brief synopsis of whose life and character the following pages are devoted.

land on the New Lancaster pike about two miles from Elvvood, was born February 9, 1874, on the old Yohe farm just one-half mile north of his present home, the son of Marion W. and Martha (Riley) Yohe, the father, Marion W., having also been born in this same county and township. The subject's grandfather, Michael Yohe, was a native of the Keystone state, and his son, Marion W., came to Tipton county, Indiana, at an early date, settling here and becoming a large land owner and an influential and respected man in the community. Here he spent the remainder of his days, raising a family of four children, namely : James L. married Conney Cochrel and was the father of six children, Chester, Hazel, Loral, Martha, Marion and Dorothy ; William A.; Julia became the wife of Ernst Hurst; Francis married Emma Hiatt and they have eight children, Harold, Howard, Mary, Mamie, Sarah Jane and Marjorie.

An education similar to that obtained by the average farmer boy of that time was obtained by William A. Yohe in the school at New Lancaster, this county, his time aside from his studies being occupied in assisting in the labor on his father's place. He continued to work on the home farm until he reached the age of twenty-three years, when he was enabled to purchase his present farm, investing in it the hard-earned savings of thirteen years of strenuous labor. On this splendid tract of land he has since engaged in gen¬ eral farming and stock raising, and has attained to a success commensurate with the efforts he has put forth.

On March 27, 1895, Mr. Yohe was united in matrimony to Estella Knotts, the daughter of James L. and Catharine (Jennings) Knotts, and this union has resulted in the birth of three children, Cleo, Arthur and Noble, all of whom are under the paternal rooftree and are attending school.

The subject of this review, while yet a young man, has long been recog¬ nized as an important factor in the farming and stock raising activities of this section of the Hoosier state, he having been prominently identified with the material growth and prosperity of this part of the commonwealth, his life having been closely interwoven with the history of the county where he has been content to live and follow his chosen vocation for over a third of a century.

In public affairs, Mr. Yohe has ever taken an intelligent interest and while never having sought office for himself, he has consistently supported the principles of the Democratic party, giving his best judgment freely in the councils of that party on men and methods. He is a member of the Christian church, in which he takes an earnest interest and to which he contributes liberally of his means.

John H. Cook

The gentleman whose name forms the caption of this biographical review is widely known in Tipton county as an honored citizen and a valued factor in the development of the varied interests of his community. His welldirected energies in the practical affairs of life, his capable management of his own business interests and his sound judgment have demonstrated 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 pos¬ sessor of those innate qualities that never fail to bring success if properly directed, as they have evidently been in the case of Mr. Cook.

John H. Cook, machinist and farmer, resides at New Lancaster, Tipton county, Indiana, and is the son of Thomas B. and Elmira (Hobbs) Cook. Thomas B. Cook was born near Indianapolis, in Marion county, Indiana, and he was the son of Solomon and Hannah (Ragon) Cook. Solomon Cook came originally from the East to Harveysburg, Ohio, subsequently, in 1820, removing to the Hoosier state and locating in Marion county, being one of the earliest settlers in that part of Indiana. He was a carpenter bv trade. His father-in-law, named Ragon, was quite a prominent man. Thomas B. Cook, the father of the subject, was a soldier in the Civil war, being a member of Company B, Thirty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and also serving in the Eighth Indiana Cavalry. To the subject's parents were born six children, namely : One died in infancy; Edna is deceased ; YV. L. ; Rufus ; John H. and Mary.

In his boyhood days Mr. Cook worked on the farm and managed to secure a fairly good education in the district schools. In his early manhood he took up the machinist's trade, and in this line acquired a degree of skill that has caused his services to be very much in demand, the products of his shop exhibiting a perfection of workmanship and attention to detail that makes them compare very favorably with work of a similar character turned out by larger concerns having far greater facilities for metal working than has the subject.

Mr. Cook was united in marriage to Cliffie Harney, daughter of Henry Harney. The subject takes a most active and intelligent interest in public affairs and is a strong factor in the councils of the Republican party, to which he renders an ardent support. Public spirited and progressive, his aid is never sought in vain to promote any enterprise which has the well being of his fellow men at heart, Mr. Cook giving freely of his time and means to all worthy movements. In fraternal relations he holds appreciative member¬ ship in the Free and Accepted Masons. He has been an industrious man all his life, striving to keep abreast of the times in all respects, and as a result every mile post of the years he has passed has found him further advanced, more prosperous, and with an increasing number of friends. He has a com¬ fortable and happy home, a wide and loyal circle of friends and the respect and esteem of his fellow men, a trinity of blessings of which he is eminently worthy.

William M. Hoover

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 out-of-door life of the farm has a decided tendency to foster and develop that independence of mind and self-reliance which characterize true manhood and no truer 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 great warriors, renowned statesmen and distinguished men of letters were born on the farm and are indebted largely to its early influence for the distinction which they have attained.

William M. Hoover, the proprietor of a one-hundred-and-sixty-acre farm two miles east of Tipton in Cicero township, this county, was born March 16, 1859, the son of Frederick and Eveline (Miller) Hoover, both of whom came from Wayne county, Indiana, and settled in Tipton county in i860. His father was a merchant in Tipton for several years, and later engaged in agricultural pursuits.

The subject of this sketch had one brother, Jacob M., deceased, whose widow is still living in Tipton. William M. started to school at the early age of five years and received all his education in the district schools. At the age of twenty-one he rented part of his father's farm and was soon able to pur¬ chase eighty acres for himself. This he cleared and improved and brought to a high state of cultivation. Later he sold this farm and purchased his pres¬ ent farm of one hundred and sixty acres, on which he has resided since.

Mr. Hoover was married to Ida May Manifold on January 14, 1883. She was a daughter of Joseph and Caroline (Allen) Manifold, of Wayne county, this state, and to them have been born eight children, Cloa, who is at home with her parents; Opal, who married Floyd Webb; Jesse married Hallie Achenbach; Gernie, Pearl, Carrie, Eula and Russell, the last three named being still under the parental roof and attending school.

Mr. Hoover has always advocated the principles of the Democratic party, but although he has taken an active part in the deliberations of his party, he has never sought for any political office. He and his family are earnest and loyal members of the Christian church and have always taken an active inter¬ est in all the affairs of that denomination. Mr. Hoover has also taken an interest in fraternal matters, being an enthusiastic member of the Free and Accepted Masons and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Eiks.

Mr. Hoover has met with marked success in his agricultural affairs and, besides raising all the crops common to this section of the country, has made a specialty of breeding and raising Poland China hogs, and by his earnest en¬ deavor and indomitable energy he has forged to the front and placed himself where he deserves to be among the progressive and enterprising men of his community. His long carer in this county has but served to strengthen the feeling of admiration on the part of his fellow men, owing to the honorable life he has led and the worthy example he has set for the younger generation.

E. N. Todd

One of the most difficult literary tasks is to write an exceptional review of a living man. If the life is worthy of record there is always danger of offending that delicacy which is inseparable from merit; for even moderate praise, when it meets the eyes of the subject, is apt to seem fulsome, while a nice sense of propriety would not be less wounded by a dry abstract contain¬ ing nothing but names and dates. To sum up a career which is not yet ended would appear like recording events which have not yet transpired, since justly to estimate the scope and meaning of a history it is important that we have the closing chapters. In writing biographical notice, therefore, the chronicler from the moment he takes up his pen should consider the subject as no longer among his contemporaries, for thus he will avoid the fear of offending by bestow ing praise where it is merited and escape the risk of giving but a frag¬ mentary view of that which must eventually be taken as a unit. At some risk, therefore, the writer assumes the task of placing on record the life and char¬ acter of a man, who, by the force of strong individuality, has achieved emi¬ nent success in the vocations to which he has addressed himself and has won

E. N. Todd, the owner of four hundred acres of the best farming land in the county, proprietor of the opera house and gas works at Windfall and well known man of affairs, was born April io, 1856, in Franklin county, In¬ diana, the son of George and Mary Ann Todd. George Todd was a native of Virginia and came to the Hoosier state many years ago, becoming a large land owner in this community. He was the father of the following children: Anna, deceased; Robert; Leslie, deceased; Joseph, deceased; George; Angeline, deceased; E. N., Frank, Clemm and Lemuel.

All the education which E. X. Todd secured from text-books was acquired in the old-fashioned log school house of the early days. During all his boyhood days and in his early youth he was occupied in assisting in the various duties on his father's place and rendering valuable assistance to him in its cultivation and improvement. At the age of nineteen years Mr. Todd commenced working for himself on rented land, clearing and planting eigh¬ teen acres the first year. So well did he conserve his means and apply himself to his work that he was soon in a position to purchase land for himself, his first tract being twenty acres, located in Cicero township, this county. In time he bought forty more acres near this, upon which he moved. By reason of his thorough knowledge of all the branches of farming and stock raising, the subject has prospered in all that he has attempted along this line and is now the owner of over four hundred acres of land. In connection with his activities along agricultural lines, Mr. Todd also operated a saw and planing mill very successfully. Investments in various other businesses have been made from time to time by him, he being the proprietor of the opera house at Windfall* which he operates to the satisfaction of the public, and he also owns the controlling interest in the gas plant. As his activities became more pronounced in affairs outside of agriculture, he has rented most of his land and is operating but one hundred acres near Windfall at the present time.

On May 19, 1882, E. N. Todd was united in marriage to Mollie E. Hus¬ ton, a native of Wayne county, this state, and they have the following chil¬ dren: Sylva became the wife of H. Wright and is the mother of three children, Sherrel (deceased), Maxine and Charlotte; Mildred married Guy Dean and they have had two children, Stanley and William, deceased ; Jewell is living at home and graduated from the Windfall high school in 1912.

Mr. Todd is highly respected as one of the leading business men and citizens of the community, and no worthy enterprise for the advancement of the community ever appeals to him for aid in vain. Public spirited and pro¬ gressive in all that he does, he has won a position of honor and respect among his fellow men of which any man might well be proud.

James B. W. Wheatley

Among the citizens of Jefferson township, Tipton county, Indiana, who have built up comfortable homes and surrounded themselves with valuable landed estates and personal property, few have attained a higher degree of success than the subject of this sketch. With few opportunities except what his own efforts were capable of mastering and with many discouragements to overcome, he has made an exceptional success in life and now has the gratifi¬ cation of knowing that the community in which he resides has been benefited by his presence. He is the owner of the noted Indian Lawn Stock farm of five hundred and thirty-six acres and his reputation as a man of affairs ex¬ tends far beyond the immediate locality honored by his residence.

James B. W. Wheatley was born July 27, 1856, in Greene county, Ohio, near Jamestown, the son of Francis H. and Margaret (MacDorman) Wheatley. Francis H. was a native of Frederick county, Maryland, and was a farmer and stock raiser. He located in Tipton county, Indiana, in 1857, when the subject of this review was one year old. Besides James Wheatley, three other children were born to Francis H. and his wife: Susanna Campbell, J. F. and Jane Smith.

A fairly good education was acquired by the subject, he attending the Wheatley school in this county, and working on his father's farm during all his youthful days. Early resolving to make agriculture his life work, Mr. Wheatley devoted himself to a thorough and painstaking study of the best methods in that vocation, and, being of an industrious and economical nature, it was not long before he was able to purchase land in his own right, at the age of twenty-two buying one hundred and sixty acres, every dollar expended in making this deal having been earned by him in hard, honest toil. By applying good business methods and intelligent management, Mr. Wheatley has from time to time added to his holdings until he at the present time ranks among the largest land owners in the county. The improvements on the place are of the very best, his fine brick residence being a model of comfort and convenience, while his barns and other farm buildings are first class in every particular.

Mr. Wheatley was married in 1880 to Sarah Campbell. He is a citizen of high civic ideals, and ever manifests his liberality in connection with meas¬ ures and enterprises tending to advance the general welfare of the commun¬ ity honored by his residence. He has been the architect of his own fortune and upon his career there rests no blemish, for he has been true to the highest ideals and principles in business, civic and social life. He has lived and labored to worthy ends and well merits the high esteem in which he is uni¬ versally held. While his life has been so busily engaged in his own private affairs and he has never sought public offfce, yet he takes an intelligent in¬ terest in public affairs and, believing in the principles of the Democratic party, casts his ballot with that party. His stock raising operations are car¬ ried on on an extensive scale, and his thorough knowledge of selection and breeding has gained for him a wide reputation among stock men, not only in the immediate community, but throughout the state. He ships cattle all over the United States and has a national reputation as a live stock man.

Marcus Van Bibber

The successful men are those who have planned their own advancement and then have accomplished it in spite of obstacles, at the same time winning the favor and esteem of their fellow men. The history of Tipton county furnishes many such examples and among these Marcus Van Bibber occupies a prominent and distinctive place. All that he has achieved has come about as the reward of his tireless energy, perseverance and determination.

Marcus Van Bibber, the proprietor of a three-hundred-and-forty-acre farm in Liberty township, was born in Tipton county, April 13, 1853. His parents were Merritt and Mary (Axtell) Van Bibber. Merritt was born in Belmont county, Ohio, August 22, 1820, and received his limited schooling in that county. Before coming to Tipton county, Indiana, in 1850. he lived in Athens county, Ohio, for some time. He was married in Ohio and upon coming to Tipton county he at once bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres of land which he operated for the next eleven years. He then moved into Jefferson township, where he continued to farm until a few years before his death, when he retired from active work and made his home with his son, Marcus, the subject of this sketch. While still a young man in Ohio he was married to Marv Axtell, the daughter of Lorenzo and Maria Axtell, and to this union there were born fifteen children : Madison, who died May 22, 1867;

Elizabeth, who married George Wookey, and has six children, Laura, Belle, George, Tivia, Jesse and Charles; Taylor, who married Catherine Goodknight and has six children, Oliver, Allen, Walter, Carrie, Everett and one who died in infancy ; Harriet, who married Samuel Brown, and has four chil¬ dren, Cooper, Orin, Jesse and Pearl ; Marv, who married Hardin Keene, and has three children, Leslie, Nora and Edna; Marcus, the subject of this sketch; John, who died, unmarried, in January, 1896; Dayton, who married Char¬ lotte Hyatt, and has two living children, Roma and Lora ; Lincoln died at the age of three years; a child who died in infancy; Emma, who married Solo¬ mon Lydy and has eight children, Charles, David, Lelia, Flora, Nora, Walter, Arthur and Lawrence; Grant married Susan Robinson and has no children; Neossia Valley married Carrie Hayworth and has five children living, Leland, Gilbert, Mary, Stella and Margaret; the last two children died in infancy.

Marcus Van Bibber was reared amid the rural scenes of Tipton county and, along with his meager schooling, he early gained that practical knowl¬ edge of agriculture which was the foundation of his future success along that line. Through his entire life he has engaged in agricultural pursuits and by capable management, untiring industry and sound judgment he has gradually increased his land holdings until he now owns three hundred and forty acres of as good land as can be found in the county. As soon as he was married he bought forty acres and with his good wife started out to carve his fortune. His wife, a most estimable lady, greatly aided him by her careful manage¬ ment of the household affairs and the able manner in which she reared her children.

Early in life Mr. Van Bibber was married to Mary M. Grishaw, the daughter of John W. and Millie Jane Grishaw, and their union was blessed with five children ; Arthur, who married Carrie Becker, the daughter of Fred and Rosa Becker, has one son, Fred Edwin; Earl is still unmarried; Lora married Flora Spaulding and has one son, Lowell W. ; Cleo is still single. The subject's first wife died on August 20, 1900, and a few years later he married Eva (Simpson) Arbuckle, the daughter of James Arbuckle. There have been no children by the second marriage.

Mr. Van Bibber has always given his support to the principles and policies of the Republican party, but has never been a seeker for political preferment. He is a devoted and consistent member of the Society of Friends and has lived his life according to the teachings of his church. Such uniform regard as he receives from his friends and neighbors is a sure indi¬ cation that he has always lived at peace with his fellow men and followed principles which have ever commanded respect and admiration. Mr. Van Bibber is widely known in this county, where his whole life has been passed, and he is well worth a deserving place in this volume.

Tiptox D. Campbell

There is no calling, however humble, in which enterprise and industry, coupled with a well directed purpose, will not be productive of success, and in the pursuit of agriculture the qualities mentioned are quite essential. Among the well known and highly respected farmers of Tipton county who have at¬ tained to a definite degree of success in their line and who have at the same time benefited the community in which they live, is the gentleman whose name forms the caption for this brief biographical review. T. T. Campbell has long been one of the most active and leading citizens in this community and his labors along the line of general farming and stock raising have been amply rewarded, he having gradually improved his valuable place, and while he has prospered in this he has also found time and ample opportunity to assist in the material and civic development of the county.

Tipton D. Campbell was born July 15, 1865, the youngest child of David and Mary (Jenkins) Campbell. David Campbell was born in Henry county, Kentucky, and came to Indiana in 1844, securing government land in Johnson county, where he remained for two years, coming to Tipton county in 1846 and locating in Prairie township. He was a very successful farmer and was a man of prominence in the community. To David Campbell and wife were born ten children, namely: Mariah (deceased). 'Newton, Thomas and John are deceased, Elizabeth, James and W illiam (deceased), Oliver P., Sarah Wheatley and the subject of this sketch.

Mr. Campbell received his early education in the district schools of Tipton county and was engaged in agricultural labor during all of his boyhood days. Early in life he decided to make agriculture his life work and that he made no mistake in his choice of vocation is well attested by the splendid success which has attended his efforts. Starting in life under rather adverse conditions, he has hewed out his own fortune and established himself in the community as a man of stability of character and progressive public spirit. His landed estate of one hundred and sixty acres is all that a model farm should be, the care and effort expended upon it having brought a well de- served reward. Here Mr. Campbell has given the subject of raising fine live stock a great deal of attention and has more than a local reputation as a breeder of the best in that line, a thorough knowledge of this subject, coupled with untiring energy, having enabled the subject to conduct this department with great success His facilities for feeding and caring for his stock are excellent, good buildings and pasturage being two of the concrete reasons for his achievements as a stock man.

On April 11, 1888, Mr. Campbell was married to Flora Thackers, the daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth (Doin) Thackers, natives of Morgan county, this state, Mrs. Campbell's mother being yet living.

Mr. Campbell votes the Republican ticket and displays an intelligent interest in public affairs, though he has never been a seeker after public office. He is a man of pleasing personality and splendid qualities of charac¬ ter and has won and retains the warm friendship and high regard of all who know him. A residence of a half a century here has given his fellows an op¬ portunity to observe him in his daily walk and his present high standing is due solely to the honorable and upright course which he has pursued.

Joshua B. Plymire

Among the enterprising and progressive citizens of Tipton county none stands higher in the esteem of his fellow citizens than the gentleman whose name forms the caption of this sketch. He has long been actively engaged in agricultural pursuits in this county and the years of his residence here have but served to strengthen the feeling of admiration on the part of his fellow men owing to the honorable life he has led and the worthy example he has set for the younger generation, consequently he is eminently worthy of a place in this volume.

Joshua B. Plymire was born March 18, 1854, near Wilmington, Clinton county, Ohio, the son of John and Margaret (Wilson) Plymire. John Ply¬ mire, the father, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and came with his parents, Martin and Susan Plymire, to the Buckeye state when he was sixteen years ^of age. Here he married and lived the rest of his days, rearing a family of ten children, namely : William, Mary, Susan, Samuel. Philip, Martin, Joshua B., John W., David and Arminda, the last named being deceased.

than that acquired by the average boy in those early days, for after completing his studies in the Clinton county common schools he took a finishing course at Wilmington. While pursuing his school work the subject was engaged during his spare time in assisting in the work of his fathers place. Coming to the Hoosier state, Mr. Plymire purchased twenty acres of land in Jefferson township, Tipton county, subsequently buying eighty more acres, and event¬ ually an additional forty acres, and here he has made his home for a number of years. The splendid farm now owned by the subject and his wife consists of two hundred and thirty-five acres, and it is one of the most valuable hold¬ ings in the community, having been brought to a high state of cultivation and improved in a manner that reflects great credit on the owner. In addition to tilling the soil in a most up-to-date and scientific manner, 'Mr. Plymire has devoted considerable attention to stock raising and, through the exercise of sound judgment, wise discrimination and good common sense in the selection of his stock and in his breeding operations, die subject has gained a reputation which extends far beyond the borders of his own locality.

While he has never held or sought public office, Mr. Plymire has always displayed an intelligent interest in public affairs and his suffrage has been given to the Republican party. His family are earnest and consistent mem¬ bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, to the support of which they give liberally of their means. The subject's well directed efforts in the practical affairs of life, his capable management of his agricultural affairs and his sound judgment have brought him prosperity, and his life demonstrates what may be accomplished by any man of energy and ambition.

It is not always easy to discover and define the hidden forces that move a life of ceaseless activity and large professional success; little more can be done than to note their manifestation in the career of the individual under consideration. In view of this fact, the life of the distinguished physician and public-spirited man of affairs whose name appears above affords a striking example of well defined purpose, with the ability to make that pur- pose subserve not only his own ends but the good of his fellow men as well. He has long held distinctive prestige in a calling which requires for its basis sound mentality and intellectual discipline of a high order, supplemented by the rigid professional training and thorough mastery of technical knowledge, with the skill to apply the same, without which one can not hope to rise above mediocrity in ministering to human ills. In his chosen field of en¬ deavor Doctor Thorpe has achieved success such as few attain and his pres¬ ent eminent standing among the leading medical men of his part of the Hoosier state is duly recognized and appreciated. In addition to his long and honorable career in one of the most useful and exacting professions, he has proven an honorable member of the body politic. As a citizen he easily ranks with the most influential, of his county, his course having ever been above suspicion, and those favored with an intimate acquaintance with him are profuse in their praise of his manly virtues and upright character.

Byron B. Thorpe, M. D., of Curtisville, Tipton county, Indiana, was born June 23, 1880, in Colfax, Clinton county, Indiana, the son of Levi and Mary (Millburn) Thorpe. Levi Thorpe was a physician and surgeon and was quite prominent in medical affairs in Clinton county, his wife being the daughter of Joseph E. Millburn, also a follower of the medical pro¬ fession. Beside the subject, they had one other child, Florian Xolan, who is a physician at Boyleston.

The preliminary education of Doctor Thorpe was secured in the com¬ mon schools at Boyleston, after which he attended the high school at Frank¬ fort. Having thus secured a good elementary schooling, he decided on the medical profession for his life work and entered a medical college at In¬ dianapolis, from which he graduated in 1905. On completing his college course, the Doctor served for a time as an interne in dispensary work, gain¬ ing in this way. a vast amount of practical knowledge which has stood him in good stead in his subsequent career. He began the practice of medicine with his father and brother at Boyleston, however, only remaining there for a short while, and then removing to Michigantown, where he was in partner¬ ship with Doctor Douglass. This professional alliance lasted only about one year, when the subject began practice on his own account and has since con¬ tinued independently. He came to Curtisville on April 29, 1910, and his thorough professional knowledge and consummate skill in the application of the best methods known to medical science soon gained for him a recogni¬ tion and a following that would be a credit to many a doctor much older in years. Previous to his removal to this place, the Doctor served as coroner

Doctor Thorpe was married September 6, 1902, to Edith A. Hamm, daughter of George and Martha Hamm, of Clinton county, and this union has been blessed by the birth of one child, Eulalia Beth, who is now attend¬ ing school. While primarily attending to the interests of his professional work, the subject has devoted much time to the interests of his neighbors and the community at large, and has been untiring in his efforts to uplift humanity along civic and social lines.

George Guy Campbell

It is a well recognized fact that the most powerful influence in shaping and controlling public life is the press. It reaches a greater number of peo¬ ple than any other agency and thus has always been and always will be a most important factor in molding public opinion and, in a definite sense, shaping the destiny of the nation. The gentleman to a brief review of whose life these lines are devoted has long been prominently connected with journalism in the Hoosier state, and at the present time is editor and pub¬ lisher of the Kempton Courier , one of the most popular papers in Tipton county, comparing favorably with the best local sheets in this section of the state in news, editorial ability and mechanical execution.

George Guy Campbell, the present postmaster of Kempton and editor and publisher of the Kempton Courier , was born February 17, 1888, at Fort Recovery, Mercer county, Ohio, the son of Dr. R. W. and Elizabeth (Jordan) Campbell. Doctor Campbell was born at Fort Recovery and re¬ ceived his elementary education in the common- schools of that city, his pro¬ fessional studies, later being pursued in medical institutions at Cincinnati, Ohio, and Chicago, Illinois. He was a very successful practitioner and gained the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens to a marked degree. To the subject's parents, were born the following children: George Guy; A. W. is a printer at Ehvood, Indiana; H. J. is following the "art preservative'' and holds the position of superintendent of the mechanical department of the News-Scimiter at Memphis, Tennessee; Ruth is at home.

George Guy Campbell attended the common school at that place. While pursuing his studies he put in his spare time learning the printer's trade, and in 1895 went to Chicago, where he followed the printing business, working in different offices for about a year, at the end of which period he engaged in business for himself, operating a job printing plant with exceptional suc¬ cess for some time, and in 1897 he founded the Journal at Ashkum, Iroquois county, Illinois, which paper he conducted for three years. Selling out his interests at this place, he removed to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he be¬ came connected with the Devore Printing Company, of which concern he soon became superintendent. Under the firm name of Campbell & Gunder, the subject of this review established a printing office on Court street in Indianapolis. This was subsequently disposed of, and then Mr. Campbell took employment with the Indianapolis News. Continuing on the News for about a year, Mr. Campbell for a while operated another office and then had charge of the advertising room on the Indianapolis Sentinel. After the Sentinel was purchased by the News Mr. Campbell was associated in busi¬ ness for a period with L. G. Dynes, and then came to Kempt on, Tipton county, Indiana, where he established the Courier , and for the last six years has conducted this paper in a manner that has won for him not only a lucra¬ tive income, but has gained for him a large following of stanch friends. Under the administration of President Taft, Mr. Campbell was appointed postmaster of Kempton, and he is still discharging the duties of that re¬ sponsible position in a very satisfactory and efficient manner.

The subject of this review was married April 15, 1903, to Ella Menefee, the daughter of Lemuel and Mollie (Reid) Menefee, and to this union have been born three children, Mildred, Onarga and Robert.

In his fraternal relations, Mr. Campbell is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Free and Accepted Masons. Mr. Campbell has been a potent factor in the upbuilding of the community and the ad¬ vancement of the highest interests of the people with whom he has been associated.

He to whose life history we now direct attention is a member of one of the pioneer families of Tipton county, his grandfather having entered gov¬ ernment land along with the earliest settlers of the county. W. R. Dunham, the present representative to the General Assembly of Indiana for Hamilton and Tipton counties, was born near Kempton, Indiana, on February 1. 1856. His parents were Samuel G. and Matilda (Reese) Dunham, his father hav¬ ing moved to Clinton county. Ohio, from Virginia with his parents, Jacob and Catherine (Goodknight) Dunham. Jacob, the grandfather of the sub¬ ject of this sketch, soon came on west to Indiana and settled in Tipton county, Indiana, entering government land under the administration of President Millard Fillmore. Samuel was reared in the town of Tipton and he and his wife were the parents of three children, W. R., Mrs. Catherine Aldredge, of Huntington county, and Owen J.

W. R. Dunham received his early education in the common schools of his township and latter graduated from Valparaiso University at Valparaiso, Indiana. He then took up the profession of teaching and followed it very successfully for twenty-seven years, making an enviable record for himself as an excellent instructor. His seven years of continuous teaching at Kempton shows that he was giving good satisfaction as a teacher. During his summer vacations he worked on a farm, clerked in a store and sold imple¬ ments for an Indianapolis company. In other words, he was always busy and put in all of his time at some gainful occupation, with the result that he was enabled to add to his landed possessions year by year until he now owns three hundred and twenty-five acres of as good land as can be found in the county. Some years ago he was appointed deputy county treasurer and performed the arduous duties of that office to the entire satisfaction of his superior in the office as well as all the citizens of the county. In 1912 the Democrats of Hamilton and Tipton counties selected him as the party's candidate for state representative and at the election held in November, 1912, he had the satisfaction of being elected. His record in the Legislature has been such asto commend him to the best citizens of his district.

Mr. Dunham was married April 8, 1881, to Belle Allen, the daughter of Samuel and Harriet Allen, and their union has been blessed with three chil¬ dren: Dr. W. F., Dr. G. C. and Bonnie, the wife of Verne Peters. Mrs. Dun¬ ham has been a loyal and trustworthy helpmate to her husband, assisting him in all his endeavors, co-operating with him in his plans and aiding him by her wise counsel and judicious advice, while her estimable character and high social worth have added much to the prestige of the family of which he is proud to be the head.

In his political faith Mr. Dunham has always been a stanch and un¬ wavering supporter of the Democratic party. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and has also taken all the degrees in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a member of the subordinate lodge, the encamp¬ ment and the canton.

Mr. Dunham is a good example of the self-made man and in every¬ thing he has undertaken he has applied all those qualities which characterize successful men. As a teacher, as a county official, as a salesman, and as a member of the Legislature he has been true to the best impulses within him and the result is that he is highly respected and honored by all who know him. He is a man of pleasing personality, which, united with his other good qualities, renders him an influential factor in the social and business life of the community in which he lives.

Squire Goodknight

The subject of this review ranks among the leading farmers and stock raisers of the township in which he lives and as a tiller of the soil he is easily the peer of any of his fellow citizens similarly engaged. This success has been brought about only by careful and methodical management and far¬ sightedness in his plans and enterprise in carrying them to completion.

Squire Goodknight, the proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Jefferson township, Tipton county, was born August io, 1869, in this county. His parents were W. H. and Elizabeth (Baker) Good¬ knight and the subject of this sketch was one of ten children born to his parents, the others being as follows: Ellsworth, deceased; David, Delle, de¬ ceased; Walter; Charles, deceased; Bessie, who is the wife of Hayes Rensem, and has six children, Irene, Aline, Paul, John, Julia and William H. ; Dosie. Goldie and one child who died in infancy. W. H. Goodknight was bom in Fayette county, Ohio, and came to Indiana when a child with his parents, David and Christina (Reese) Goodknight, who settled a half mile east of Tipton. W. H. died July 8, 1913, his wife having passed away in 1894. and they are both interred in the Kempton cemetery.

Squire Goodknight was reared on the farm, received a good practical education in the public schools of his county, and when old enough to begin life on his own responsibility turned his attention to agriculture, which, with stock raising, he has pursued with gratifying success. About the year 1907 he went into the hardware business for a short time, but the call of the farm could not be resisted, so he closed out his hardware business and returned to the farm, where he has been more successful year by year. Starting out by renting, he proved to be such an economical manager that he was soon able to buy forty acres, and when, a short time later, his old home place was for sale he purchased it and is rapidly bringing it to the front as one of the best improved farms of his community.

Mr. Goodknight was married on August 29, 1888, to Edla King, the daughter of Alonzo and Phoebe (Johnson) King, and they are the happy parents of five children, Everett, Verne, Mae, Roxey and Ray. Mr. Good¬ knight has a very pleasant and attractive home and the hospitality of the family has won for them a host of warm friends in the community where they lived. The family are loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are interested in the various activities of that denomination.

In politics Mr. Goodknight is an enthusiastic member of the Republican party and always casts his ballot for the candidates of that party. He has justly gained the proud title of a self-made man, for all he now has has been secured through the exercise of his own diligent efforts and sound judg¬ ment.

An enumeration of the representative citizens of Tipton county, Indiana, would be incomplete without specific mention of the well-known and popular gentleman whose name introduces this sketch, who is now efficiently serving as a trustee of Madison township. A member of one of the old and highly esteemed families of this section of the Hoosier state, and for many years a public-spirited man of affairs, he has stamped the impress of his individu¬ ality upon the community and added luster to the honorable name which he bears, having always been scrupulously honest in all his relations with his fellow men and leaving no stone unturned whereby he might benefit his own condition as well as that of his neighbors and .friends, consequently he has long since won* the favor of a great number of the people of Madison town¬ ship. where he maintains his home.

J. M. Wilburn was born January 9, i860, in the same township and county where he now resides, the son of M. C. and Eliza (Merritt) Wil¬ burn. The father was a native of North Carolina and came to the Hoosier state in pioneer days and located in Madison township, Tipton county, on Pipe creek. He was a farmer in the Tar Heel state and on his removal to Indiana sold his land in North Carolina. In this community the subject's parents passed the remainder of their lives, both now having passed away and are resting in the Hobbs cemetery. They were the parents of the follow¬ ing children : J. M., Frank Cicero, Rosetta became the wife of Roily Curl, Ora, Alice married James Hughes.

institutions of learning, he having gone to that county with his parents in his early boyhood. Shortly after the completion of his educational pursuits, the family returned to this county and located on a farm near Tipton. At the age of twenty Mr. Wilburn rented forty acres of land and engaged in his first independent labors as an agriculturist. So successful was he in the cultivation of this tract of rented land that he was in a comparatively short time able to purchase land in his own Tight, a small piece, to which he later added an additional eighty acres. Born to an intimate knowledge of the basic industry of tilling the soil, Mr. Wilburn has been very successful, dis¬ playing a spirit of progress and a readiness to adopt the most improved methods that have won for him the reputation of being a scientific twentiethcentury farmer. He has improved his place with good buildings and equipped it with all the necessary machinery, splendid crops being annually raised, grain farming occupying most of his attention.

On March 9, 1880, the subject of this review was united in matrimony to Sarah Jane Edmonson and as a result of this union have been born five children, namely: Maud became the wife of Dave Daniel and is the mother of four children. Paul, Virgil, Lloyd and Alice; George W. married Lilv Weaver and they have three children, Harold, Ralph and Esther: Ethel is at home with her parents; Ruth is the wife of Clarence Russell; Opal Mae is also living under the parental rooftree.

In his fraternal relations, Mr. Wilburn holds membership in the Free and Accepted Masons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, while his wife is an appreciative member of the Daughters of Rebekah. Their re¬ ligious affiliations are with the Methodist Episcopal church, they being espe¬ cially active in the work of the Sunday school, giving freely of their time and means toward the support of the same.

Granville H. Hobbs

In the respect that is accorded to men who have fought their own way to success through unfavorable environment we find an unconscious recogni¬ tion of the. intrinsic worth of a character which can not only endure so rough a test, but gain new strength through the discipline. The gentleman to whom the reader's attention is now called was not favored by inherited wealth or the assistance of influential friends, but in spite of this, by perseverance, industry and wise economy, he attained a comfortable station in life far be- vond the average, making his influence felt for good in his community, and because of the honorable career he has known here and also because of the fact that he is numbered among those patriotic sons of the North who as¬ sisted in saving the Union's integrity in the dark days of the sixties, he is eminently worthy of a place in this volume.

Granville H. Hobbs, a retired farmer and the owner of all the land where the town of Hobbs is situated, was born May 16, 1831, in Lee county, Virginia, the son of Job and Susan (Flanerv) Hobbs. Job Hobbs, the subject's father, was a farmer and planter in the Old Dominion state, and in his later life moved to Kentucky, where he and his wife spent the rest of their lives and passed away at a good old age.

The education of the subject of this sketch was acquired in the common schools of Virginia and Kentucky, he being also under the tutelage of his father in addition to his regular school work. His father was a very schol¬ arly man and imparted to the subject much valuable knowledge impossible to obtain in the crude schools of those days. As a young man Granville H. Hobbs came to Tipton county, Indiana, and worked as a farm hand. Being of an industrious and economical nature, it was not a great while until he had saved enough money to purchase a small tract of land for himself; and through the exercise of a superior knowledge of the arts of agriculture and stock raising, the subject has prospered to a remarkable degree, being the possessor of over four hundred acres of very valuable property. Upon his retirement from active agricultural labor, Mr. Hobbs gave all of this land to his children, saving to himself and wife only an income that would insure them living in comfort the rest of their days. They are now living in peaceful and well earned retirement in their beautiful modern home in Hobbs.

Mr. Hobbs was married in i860 to Jane Meyers, who was born in Lee county, Virginia, the daughter of John and Rachel Meyers, who lived their entire lives in that state, and to this union have been born children as fol¬ lows: Lucetta, Rachel A., Darthila, wife of Amos DeLong; Ellen, wife of J. Russell; Sherman (deceased), John, Mrs. Nettie Longfellow, Ida, wife of Charles Warner, and two who died in infancy.

During the war between the states in the dark days of the sixties, the subject of this review gained an enviable record as a soldier in the army of the North, his first service being in a Kentucky regiment, he later enlisting in the One Hundred and Ffty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was en¬ gaged in some of the most fiercely contested battles of that sanguinary con¬ flict and is now an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Politically, Mr. Hobbs casts his ballot with the Democratic party. He was county commissioner nine years, justice of the peace four years and held several other minor offices. He and his wife are always ready to support worthy public enterprises for the benefit of their fellow citizens and the com¬ munity and are honored and respected by all who know them for their real worth. Mr. Hobbs was the first settler and the founder of the town of Hobbs and still owns considerable property in the town.

E. L. Bunch

One of the most enterprising of our younger generation of farmers in Tipton county, who has believed from the outset of his career that the "wisdom of yesterday is sometimes the folly of today/' and that while the methods of our grandfathers in tilling the soil were all right in their day, yet in the twentieth century we are compelled to adopt new methods and farm along different lines, in view of the fact that conditions of climate, soil, grains, etc., have changed since the days of the pioneers. He has been a close observer of modern methods and is a student at all times of whatever pertains to his chosen life work, having met with encouraging success all along the line. Judging from his past record, he will undoubtedly achieve much in the future years and take his place among the leading agriculturists of a community noted for its fine farms and adroit husbandmen.

E. L. Bunch, a prosperous agriculturist of Tipton county and owner of one hundred and five acres of splendid farming land, was born February 18. 1871, on his father's farm in Jefferson township, this county, the son of H. H. and Mary (Phares) Bunch. H. H. Bunch was born in Wayne county, Indiana, and came to Tipton county when he was nine years old with his parents, William and Matilda (Wolf) Bunch. William Bunch was a native of North Carolina.

The subject of this review attended school at Teedersburg and Tipton, working on the farm during vacations. His first work for himself was the cultivation of land which he rented from his father. By exercising good judgment, economy and industry, reinforced by a native stock of common sense, he soon acquired land in his own right, and this has been added to and improved until now no finer landed estate in the community can be found than that owned by Mr. Bunch. Keeping well posted, not alone on new methods and improved processes of agriculture, but on affairs of the world at large, the subject of this review has gained a reputation among his neigh¬ bors and friends as a man of wide information and integrity.

On September 4, 1893, Mr. Bunch was united in the holy bonds of mat¬ rimony to Dora Farley, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Irwin) Farley, and this union has been blessed by the birth of two children, Marv Fdna, born October 31, 1894, and Frank Hardein, bom May 21, 1901.

In political affairs, Mr. Bunch has ever been an ardent supporter of the candidates and principles of the Republican party, while his support in re¬ ligious matters is accorded to the Christian church, to which he gives liber¬ ally of his means. Although just in the prime of life, the subject has achieved a success in affairs that would be a credit to any man many years his elder, and that much abused term "self-made man" may well be applied to him in its real meaning and value. No man can say aught against him and speak the truth, for his life has been as an open book to his neighbors and friends, who have come to honor and respect him for his real worth and who look on, him as an example of the rugged, virile, resourceful and industrious type of American agriculturist.

Roy B. Smith

One of the thrifty young farmers of Tipton county, Indiana, who be¬ lieves in keeping abreast of the times in his vocation is Rov B. Smith, and having had such principles as his guiding star all through life, he has been successful from the start, not winning success in a meteoric fashion.' but gradually ascending the rugged hill that leads from the lowlands to the upper strata of success, where a man feels that he has worked to a good purpose. This young farmer takes a peculiar pride in his agricultural interests, and during his short career in this county he has shown that industry which will be certain to insure him continued success in the future.

Roy B. Smith was born January 9. 1887, on his father's farm in this county, a son of John D. and Sarah (Bunch) Smith, who are mentioned else¬ where in this volume. Roy Smith attended the common schools of Goldsmith and also the Tipton high school, graduating from the latter. During his school life he worked on the home farm between school seasons, and thereby received a practical farmer's education. After his graduation from the high school he took a normal course at Marion, Indiana, and followed this by teach¬ ing school for one year at Teedersburg, in Tipton county. He proved to be a very successful teacher and had he continued in this vocation as a profession he would no doubt have become one of the successful educators of his county.

However, he preferred agricultural pursuits, and after teaching one year, he engaged in fanning his father's farm, which he has successfully managed since.

Roy B. Smith was married in 1909, to Cleo Teeter, and to this union have been bom four children, Roy Allen, Cleo Esther, Hugh Teeter and Mary Grace.

Politically, Mr. Smith has allied himself with the Progressive wing of the Republican party, and although he has never yet been a candidate for any public office, he nevertheless takes an active interest in the deliberations of the party.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith have a very hospitable home and are interested in all movements which tend to the uplifting and betterment of the community in which they reside. They have a wide circle of loyal friends and acquaint¬ ances and in the years to come their influence for the betterment of the com¬ munity will go on increasing.

John A. Alther

To present in detail the leading facts in the life of one of Tipton county's best known agriculturists and throw light upon some of his most prominent characteristics, is the task in hand in order to place before the reader the fol¬ lowing brief biography of John A. Alther. Though still in the prime of a vigorous manhood, he has already won a distinct place in the agricultural world, besides impressing his strong personality upon the community where for a number of years he has been a forceful factor in directing thought and helping to mold public opinion along proper lines. He is regarded by all who know him as a man of sound business principles, thoroughly up to date in all phases of agriculture and stock raising and as a man who, while advancing his own individual interests, does not neglect his general duties as a citizen.

John A. Alther, prosperous and up-to-date farmer, was born February 10, 1876, in Fayette county, this state, the son of John and Caroline (Ripberger) Alther, who were early pioneers in that section of the Hoosier state. His first education was secured in the Fayette county schools, this being re¬ sumed in the local schools when he came to this county, practically all of his boyhood days being occupied in helping in the many duties devolving upon the average fanner's boy, an experience, however, which proved of value to him in later life, for he has conducted the affairs of his place with a degree of

At the age of twenty-one years Mr. Alther began working for himself by the month, which he continued for four years, and has since operated the farm owned bv his father. The place is one of the best in the community, being well improved and presenting a model appearance to the passerby. A good home and the best of necessary farm buildings adorn the place, and its general aspect is indicative of Mr. Alther's spirit of progress and intelligence.

On November 20, 1900, John A. Alther was united in marriage to Mar¬ garet Johannes, daughter of Charles and Eva (Henry) Johannes. Charles Johannes came to this community from Jennings county and has resided here for thirty years, rearing a family of five children, Mary, Anna, Margaret, Joseph and Kate.

Although Mr. Alther has taken an intelligent interest in public affairs, he has never sought public office, however, being a leader in the councils of his party, ever advocating the selection of the best men for political prefer¬ ment. His religious affiliations are with St. John's church in Tipton, he being numbered among the most faithful and liberal communicants of that parish. Mr. Alther is a symmetrically developed man, discharging the duties of citizenship with an eve to the greatest good and his popularity is only bounded by the lines within which he is known. He is a man of broad humanitarian principles, of earnest purpose and upright life, and does all in his power for the uplift of his fellow men and the promotion of the moral welfare of his community.

The prosperity of the country is in the hands of the tillers of the soil. The financial status of the country fluctuates according to the prosperity of the farmer. The county which is filled with wide-awake, progressive farm¬ ers is the county with heavy bank deposits and general prosperity. The egg production alone of the United States is more valuable than any single manufacturing industry. The farmer who makes a success of stock raising has an industry which puts him at least on a par with the business men of his county. A successful sheep grower deserves special commendation, because it is an industry requiring a superior kind of skill. The subject of this sketch is one of the most prominent sheep producers of the state and has achieved an eminent success in this line.

J. B. Grishaw, a prominent farmer and sheep raiser of Tipton county, was born November 16, 1869, at Sharpsville, Indiana, the son of William M. and America (Shook) Grishaw. His father was born in Ripley county, Indi¬ ana, coming to this county when a young man and settled in Liberty township. He directed his energies to merchandising, and built up a very successful business in Sharpsville, which netted him a very comfortable fortune. To him and his wife, were born six children, namely: Ora, deceased, who is buried in the cemetery at Tipton; Grant, deceased; J. B., the subject of this sketch; Charles L., of Tipton; H. E., a practicing physician of Tipton; and one died in infancy.

J. B. Grishaw received his early education in the Tipton schools, gradu¬ ating from the common schools of that city. Later he attended the Tri-State College at Angola, Indiana. During his minority he spent his summers on the home farm, learning all the intricacies of agricultural life. At the age of nineteen he commenced his long, successful career by engaging in tomato culture. He sold his product to a canning factory at Tipton and made con¬ siderable money at the business. Later he bought a farm and began the rais¬ ing of stock, and he continued his general farming and stock raising until six years ago when he retired from farming, but continued in the*business of stock feeding. He has made a specialty of sheep feeding and is regarded as one of the most prominent and successful sheep raisers in Indiana. As every farmer knows, there is a peculiar knack in the raising of sheep, and the fact that Mr. Grishaw has been very successful in this business shows that he has made a deep study of the problem of managing them, and he is regarded by all who know of his efforts as an authority on this line of endeavor. He is also a stockholder and director of the First National Bank of Tipton.

On April 4, 1894, Mr. Grishaw was married to Grace Campbell, and to this union has been born an interesting family of six children, all of whom are living: James, Paul, William, Hubert, Ruth America, Helen, Ora M. and Mary E. His family are loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church and have taken an earnest part in all of the various activities of that denom¬ ination. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons. Austin Lodge, of Tipton.

Politically, Mr. Grishaw has always been a Republican, but has never sought political preferment of any kind, devoting all of his time and attention to farming and the raising of stock, in which he has been eminently successful. Mr. Grishaw is an excellent example of the typical American farmer, who understands how to farm to the best advantage. In all the practical affairs of life, he has shown by his capable management of his farm interests and by his sound judgment what may be accomplished by energy and ambition when rightfully applied, and, notwithstanding the fact that he has been very success¬ ful in business, he has not neglected to contribute to the moral as well as the material advancement of his community.

O. Frank Wheatley

All callings, whether humble or exalted, may be productive of some mea¬ sure of success, if enterprise and industry, coupled with a well directed pur¬ pose, form the motive force of the person directing the same, and . in no case is this fact more apparent than in agricultural pursuits. It is a well authenti¬ cated fact that success comes as the result of legitimate and well applied energy, unflagging determination and perseverance as well as the above enumerated qualities. When a course of action is once decided upon these attributes are essential. Success is never known to smile upon the idler or dreamer, and she never courts the loafer, only those who have diligently sought her favor being crowned with her blessings. In tracing the history of the prosperous and influential agriculturist whose name forms the caption of this biographical review, we find that the above named elements have entered largely into his makeup and therefore we are not surprised at the large and ever-growing success which he has attained.

O. Frank Wheatley was born November 25, 1888, the son of James W. and Sarah (Francis) Wheatley, and was one of three children, namely: Walter V. married Mary Parker and they are the parents of two children, Forrest and Parker; O. Frank ; Pearl G. is at school.

A very good education was secured by Mr. Wheatley, through attend¬ ance at the Wheatley district school No. 5 and two years at Valparaiso Uni¬ versity. During his boyhood days he worked at farm labor, and on reaching mature years he decided on this business for his life work. At the age of eighteen he began raising fine cattle, making a specialty of the Aberdeen and Angus breeds, with which he has been very successful. In addition to one hundred acres of land which he got from his father, Mr. Wheatley rents one hundred and fifty acres, and has improved his holdings by the erection of the best of farm buildings and a comfortable home. In all that he does he is thorough and painstaking, believing that what is worth doing at all is worth doing well, and he has risen to a position of prominence in his community that is remarkable for one of his age.

On January 7, 1909, Mr. Wheatley was united in marriage to Mae Booher, the daughter of William and Mary (Reese) Booher, and to this union have been born three children, Olive, Wilson and Angeline. These children are the center of a happy home circle.

Mr. Wheatley's course in political matters has been to cast his ballot for the men and principles which he believed were right, regardless of party ties. He is a member of the Friends church and of the Free and Accepted Masons. Long recognized as a factor of importance in connection with the farming and stock raising industries here, he has been prominently identified with the material growth and prosperity of the community where he has re¬ sided. Mr. Wheatley is one of those estimable characters whose integrity and strong personality must force them into an admirable notoriety, which their modesty never seeks, who command the respect of their contemporaries and leave the impress of their individuality upon the age in which they live.

William H. Reed

The boys who went to the front in 1861 and fought that their country might be saved can never have too much honor bestowed upon them. They are fast answering the last muster and within a very few years there will be none left to answer to the final roll call. The great majority have already passed away and among the honored veterans of Tipton county who will never again hear the bugle call in this world is the late William H. Reed, of Liberty township.

William H. Reed, who died November 22, 1899, in Liberty township, Tipton county, Indiana, was born in 1840 in Bartholomew county, Indiana, about fifteen miles east of Columbus. His parents were Eli and Catherine (Snyder) Reed, both of whom were natives of Knox county. North Carolina. To Mr. and Mrs. Eli Reed were born the following children : Cornelius, de¬ ceased; William, deceased, the subject of this sketch; Benjamin, of Bartholo¬ mew county, Indiana; Lucy, deceased, the wife of Eli Sigler, deceased; Han¬ nah, the wife of the late William Miller, and the mother of four children, George, William, Elizabeth and Alice; Claraenda, the wife of Altenia Roller, deceased, and the mother of four children, two of whom are living, Henry and Louis, of Tipton county; Martha, the wife of Ezra Spawl, of Bartholo¬ mew county, and the mother of six children, Erastus, Edwin, Laura, Lena,

William H. Reed lived the ordinary farm life which surrounded the boys of his period, there being no special event of importance to vary the routine of the duties of the fields and of the school room for him during his boyhood. When still a youth he began work in the fields, plowing, planting and harvest¬ ing from early springtime until late autumn. He was thus engaged when the Civil war opened, when, seized with the same patriotic zeal which fired the hearts of thousands of other young men, he enlisted in the Sixty-seventh Regiment of Indiana Volunteer Infantry and was in continuous active service until the close of the war. Going out as a private, he was soon made a cor¬ poral for meritorious conduct on the battlefield, and served as such through¬ out the remainder of the conflict.

Immediately after his return from the front Mr. Reed was married to Nancy Drake, the daughter of Thomas and Elnora (Hill) Drake, and to this union there were born eight children: George, deceased; Catherine, the wife of William Warner, of Liberty township, and the mother of three children, Lester, Harry and Lott. Some years after the death of her husband, Mrs. Warner married James Harper, of Liberty township, and there was one son, James, by the second marriage. Lavina, the third child of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Reed, is deceased; Mary, the fourth child, is the wife of Wright Glass, and has one child deceased; Annie, the wife of Marvel Richards, of Tipton county, and the mother of seven children, |Uhl, Donald, Lena, Denia, May, Ruth and Marjorie; Thomas, deceased; Frank, deceased; and William H., the eighth and youngest child, married Amanda Owens, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Owens, of Bartholomew county, and to this union there have been born three children, Havse, Meredith and Wilma.

Mr. Reed started out in life on his own account and by hard work and capable management accumulated eighty acres of arable and productive land in Liberty township before his demise in 1899. With the aid of his good wife and children he became an important factor in the life of the community in which he lived, and because of his high moral worth he was held in unquali¬ fied esteem by his friends and neighbors. He always voted with the Repub¬ lican party, but never sought or desired office, preferring to give his whole time and attention to his agricultural interests. He was a life-long member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and was closely connected with the Methodist Episcopal church of Sharpsville, Indiana, contributing of his substance to the support of his church. His many sterling qualities made him deservedly popular in his community and his death was mourned by a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. His life was such that his widow and children have the satisfaction of knowing that the world was the better for his having lived in it.

Charles Wesley Cole

The best history of a community or state is that which deals most with the lives and activities of its people, especially of those who, by their own endeavor and indomitable energy, have forged to the front and placed them¬ selves where they deserve the title of progressive men. In this brief re¬ view will be found the record of one who has outstripped the less active plodders on the highway of life and achieved a career surpassed by few of his contemporaries, a career of marked success in agricultural affairs and a name which all men who know him delight to honor, owing to his upright life and habits of thrift and industry.

Charles Wesley Cole, the proprietor of a two-hundred-and-forty-acre farm in Jefferson township, Tipton county, Indiana, is a native son of this county, having been born June 19, 1878, the son of H. B. and Mary (Smith) Cole. His father, H. B. Cole, is also a native of the old Hoosier state, his birth having occurred in Switzerland county, his parents being Perry and Malvina Cole. When a young man H. B. Cole came to Tipton county, and to him and his wife were born three children : Charles W. ; Lena, who mar¬ ried John Teal, of Indianapolis, and they have one daughter, Lenora, and a son, Herman, deceased, and William E., of California, who is married and has one child, Eldon.

Charles Cole secured his education in the common schools in Cicero and Jefferson townships in this county, and as a lad he went to school during the winter seasons and worked on the home farm during the summers, there¬ by learning the rudiments of agriculture, as well as habits of thrift and in¬ dustry. After leaving the common schools he was a student one year at the Tipton high school and entered the normal school at Marion, Indiana, but was called home on the death of his father to take charge of the farm.

Mr. Cole was married in 1898 to Bertha A. Craven, the daughter of William and Mattie (Mullen) Craven, and to this union have been bom seven children, Ruth B. ; Ralph and Forest, twins, now deceased ; Mildred. Hull and Howard, who are in school, and Dorothy Mae, at home with her parents.

Politically, Mr. Cole has been a Republican since he became a voter and has taken an active interest in the deliberations of that party. He has never sought any political office, being content to devote all of his time and energies to the management of his large farm. He and his wife are stanch members of the Presbyterian church and Mr. Cole has taken a prominent part in the activities of that denomination, and at the present time is a deacon in the church and the superintendent of the Sunday school. He is a man of sterling qualities of character, even tempered, of strict integrity and scrupu¬ lously honest in all of his dealings with his fellow men, hospitable and chari¬ table and has gained the good will and confidence of all who know him be¬ cause of his upright life, his genial and unassuming nature and genuine worth.

John D. Smith

The best title one can establish to the high and generous esteem of an intelligent community is a protracted and honorable residence therein. John

D. Smith, one of the best known and highly esteemed men of Tipton county, Indiana, has resided in this locality all his life and his career has been a most commendable one in every respect, well deserving of being perpetuated on the pages of a historical work of the nature of the one in hand. Like his sterling father before him, he has been a man of well defined purpose and never failed to carry to successful completion any work or enterprise to which he addressed himself. Beginning life under many unfavorable auspices, he let nothing deter him and before the lapse of many years he had a fine farm 'aider cultivation. He has applied himself closely to his work and waited for the future to bring him its rewards, and today he is one of the substantial men of his county.

John D. Smith, proprietor of one of the largest farms in Tipton county, was born September 29, 1857, in the township where he has always lived. He is a son of John D. and Phoebe (Bingham) Smith. John D., Sr., came to Tipton county from Belmont, Ohio, and entered land from the government in 1836. He and his wife were the parents of seven children, namely: Mary

John D. Smith, Jr., attended the district schools in his locality and spent the ordinary life which falls to the lot of the country lad. Upon his marriage he rented his father's farm of seven hundred and ten acres, and was very successful in managing the same, which he conducted for a period of seven years, at the end of which time he purchased forty acres for himself. After operating this farm for a few years, he bought eighty acres of his present splendid farm. By strict attention to business, he has been enabled to add to this tract from time to time until he now is the owner of three hundred and sixty-three and one-half acres of as fine land as can be found in Tipton county There are few better improved farms in the state than the farm of Mr. Smith. He has a strictly modern house of fourteen rooms, the house being built of pressed brick, with stone trimmings. All the outbuildings on the place, as well as the fences, are of the very best. Some years ago Mr. Smith retired from active farm life, and allowed his son, Roy, to run the farm two years; John D., Jr., nowr runs the farm.

Mr. Smith was married September 29, 1884, to Sarah M. Bunch, and to them have been born an interesting family of seven children, namely : Neva M. ; Roy B., who is married and has four children, John D., Jr., Nina B.. Ruby L., Glenn H., and Myral H.

Politically, Mr. Smith has allied himself with the Progressive element of the Republican party, and always makes it a point to keep well posted upon the leading questions and topics of the day. He has lived a long and useful life in this county, and in all his dealings with his fellow men he has so borne himself that he has won their hearty approbation and esteem. He has taken an active part in all the movements which have for their end the rais¬ ing of the standard of the life of the neighborhood. In his fine home he dis¬ penses hospitality to all his friends and acquaintances, and in all the rela¬ tions of life he has shown himself to be a man among men, worthy cf the confidence and respect which are heartily accorded him by all who know him.

Peter Alfred Samuels

Successful farming is an art not acquired from the reading of books simply, though agricultural literature will always prove to be a most valuable auxiliary in the hands of the reflecting and experimenting tiller of the soil. The great book of nature is, however, the Alpha and Omega of the wiser farmer's true literature, and the lessons therein studied impart the knowledge which leads to a triumphant mastery of this oldest of all industries. Among those who have apparently mastered the lessons in this book is the gentle¬ man whose name forms the heading of this brief biographical review. Rank- ing with the most progressive agriculturists of the county and enjoying the reputation of a successful manager, he is also one who takes a leading part in all measures for the common welfare, supporting every laudable enter¬ prise whereby his community may be benefited. He is an honest man, honor¬ able in all his business transactions, and not a dollar in his possession but has been earned by legitimate and straightforward methods.

Peter Alfred Samuels, owner of one hundred and twenty acres of splendid farming land on the Samuels gravel road, eleven miles from Tipton, was born November 15, 1862, on the old Harton farm, the son of John and Phoebe (Harton) Samuels. John Samuels was born in Sweden and is now living in honorable retirement in Tipton. His wife, who was born in Hend¬ ricks county, Indiana, is deceased and was buried at Teedersburg. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. To John and Phoebe Samuels were born nine children, namely: Charles, Mrs. Sarah Magnett, Peter Al¬ fred, Mrs. Flora Osborn, Mrs. Mary Johnson, Mrs. Elizabeth Partlow, de¬ ceased ; Martha, deceased, and William, also deceased.

The subject of this review first attended school in the Wheatley school house and finished his education at the Deal school, being employed during his boyhood and youth in assisting in the labors of the home place, proving a valuable assistant to his father and acquiring a knowledge of the arts of tilling the soil that proved of value to him in later life. When he reached the age of twenty-one years the subject commenced operations on his own behalf on rented land on his father's place. By applying himself steadily to the task of gaining a foothold in the world, Mr. Samuels, before many years had passed, purchased land in his own right and his present, fine farm is but the result of the application of carefully studied methods of agriculture. It is nicely improved with all the necessary farm buildings and equipped with the best of machinery, the soil of the subject's farm being carefully cared for and its vitality preserved and enriched by a most scientific course of rota¬ tion of crops and fertilization.

In 1883 Mr. Samuels was united in marriage to Mary Spurgeon, the daughter of John and Lucinda (Aldridge) Spurgeon, and four children have been born as a result of this union : Roscoe, Arthur, Nettie, who married Roy Shirk, and John, who is at home with his parents. The subject and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are quite promi-* nent in the work of the Sunday school, giving liberally of their means to the support of the many worthy benevolences of that institution. In political affairs, Mr. Samuels has allied himself with the Progressive party, believing that in this new organization more for the general good of the American people can be accomplished than through either of the old parties, he being active in the councils of the local branch of the Progressives. The subject's methods are in keeping with the advanced spirit of the twentieth century and his well improved property is a monument to his thrift and well directed efforts. He is a man of broad humanitarian principles, of earnest purpose and upright life, and does all in his power for the uplifting of his fellow men and for the promotion of the moral welfare of the community.

George Bauer

In the daily laborious struggle for an honorable competence and a solid career on the part of a business or professional man there is little to attract the casual reader in search of a sensational chapter, but to a mind thoroughly awake to the reality and meaning of human existence there are noble and im¬ perishable lessons in the career of an individual who, without other means than a clear head, strong arm and true heart < directed and controlled by correct principles and unerring judgment, conquers adversity and finally wins not only pecuniary independence, but what is far greater and higher, the deserved respect and confidence of those with whom his active years have been spent.

George Bauer, a popular and prominent grocery man at Teedersburg, Tipton county, Indiana, first saw the light of day in that same town on Oc¬ tober 13, 1881, being the son of John E. and Mary (Wellinger) Bauer. John E. Bauer was born in Decatuf county, Indiana, and came to Tipton county in his boyhood, spending the remainder of his life here. He became the father of three boys: George; Fred, now deceased, who married Nellie Wimer, and Frank, who married Goldie Bitner and they have two children, Clifford F. and Omer.

George Bauer attended the common schools at Teedersburg and fin¬ ished his education at Goldsmith, working at farm labor during his spare time. After completing his studies the subject of this review was employed in a grocery store for a while, after which he removed to Tipton and worked first for George Shartle and afterward for the Tipton Music Company, be¬ ing a stockholder in the latter concern. Returning to Teedersburg, Mr. Bauer purchased the grocery business of C. L. Vandercook and has since continued to operate this store, his obliging manner and genial personality having won for him a large trade. His store is a most modern one, com-

On November 19, 1902, Mr. Bauer was united in matrimony to Maud Hill, the daughter of Daniel S. and Susan (South) Hill. Daniel Hill was born in Clermont county, Ohio, and came to Indiana when he was a young man, first locating in Shelby county and later in Tipton county, where for many years he followed farming, but is now engaged in the mercantile busi¬ ness in Goldsmith, this county. He was the father of two children, Ollie, who is living at home, and Mrs. Bauer.

Mr. Bauer, while having always taken an active and intelligent interest in political affairs, has never seen fit to ally himself uncompromisingly with any one party, believing in exercising his own judgment as to men and methods when it came to casting his ballot. He has always been ready to support any movement that promised good for his fellow men of the com¬ munity. In fraternal relations, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Free and Accepted Masons, of Tipton, also the Im¬ proved Order of Red Men at Goldsmith. In his business and social life, Mr. Bauer has shown a keenness of perception, a tireless energy, honesty of pur¬ pose and motive, and everyday common sense, which have enabled him not only to advance his own interests, but also largely contribute to the moral and material advancement of the community.

In the daily laborious struggle for an honorable competence and a solid career on the part of the average man there is little to attract the casual reader in search of a sensational chapter; but to a mind thoroughly awake to the reality and meaning of human existence there are noble and imperishable lessons in the career of an individual who, without other means than a clear head, strong arm and true heart, directed and controlled by correct principles and unerring judgment, conquers all obstacles and finally wins, not only pecuniary independence, but, what is far greater and higher, the deserved respect and confidence of those with whom his active years have been passed. Such a man is the honored subject of this sketch, who, after many years of active and successful labor, is now reaping in a well deserved retirement the results of a life well spent.

township, Tipton county, was born in Adams county, Ohio, February 23, 1835, ^le son °f James M. and Rebecca (Wasson) Campbell. James M. Campbell was born in that same county and came to Tipton county at an early date, buying eighty acres of land in' Jefferson township. To the sub¬ ject's parents were born nine children, of whom J. A. was third in order of birth, and aside from the subject but one of these survives, Rebecca D. Mor¬ rison.

The early education of J. A. Campbell was secured in the common schools of Adams county, Ohio, he attending the short winter sessions in the primitive log school houses and acquiring a schooling of the same order as that obtained by the average boy in pioner days. He was eighteen years old when he came with his parents to Tipton county, and has spent his en¬ tire life since then in this community. Starting out in early life on his own account, he secured land and devoted himself to the arduous task of clearing it and putting it under cultivation. Born and reared to the life of an agri¬ culturist. he soon made his mark in that vocation and by industry, economy and wise management made his place one of the best in the community, be¬ ing progressive and up to date in his methods and winning the respect and honor of his fellow men because of his admirable qualities of head and heart.

In 1858 Mr. Campbell was united in marriage to Elizabeth J. Weed, who was born in 1838, and to them were born the following children: Emma married, first, James Cloud and later Ras Bilby and has four children : Eva married William Bilby and has four children; Edgar married Grace Wolford and became the father of two children, , Irene and Omer; Angey married Porter Alderege, who is deceased, and they had two children, Mal>el and Edith; Oscar was the last child of Emma. Margaret Campbell is deceased. Frank married Emma Bower and their daughter, Dena, became the wife of A1 Michel. Etta married James Mitchell and they have three children. Davy and Howard, and Margaret, deceased. George married Hattie Teter and they have one child, Grace. James C. married Maggie Lowman and they have had two children, Beulah and Paul, the last named being deceased.

Mr. Campbell's religious membership is with the Presbyterian church, to which and other benevolent objects he is a generous giver. Honorable and upright in all the relations of life, he has commanded the uniform confidence and respect of his friends and neighbors and the success which he is now en¬ joying is well merited, coming as the reward of earnest and untiring effort and correct methods. The golden wedding anniversary which the subject and his wife celebrated a few years ago was a most happy event, and on that occasion the children and grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. Campbell united in paying honor and respect to this worthy couple on their completion of a half century of happy married life. A life-long Republican and earnest supporter of the principles of that party, the subject has given his best support and encouragement to that political belief, having cast his first vote for John C. Fremont for President.

P. F. Self

The biographies of enterprising men, especially of good men, are in¬ structive as guides and incentives to others. The examples they furnish oi patient purpose and steadfast integrity strongly illustrate what is in the power of each to accomplish. Some men belong to no exclusive class in life; apparently insurmountable obstacles have in many instances awakened their dormant faculties and served as a stimulus to carry them to ultimate renown. The instances of success in the face of adverse fate would seem almost to justify the conclusion that self-reliance, with a half chance, can accomplish any reasonable object. The gentleman whose life history is herewith outlined x is a man who has lived to good purpose and achieved a splendid success. By a straightforward and commendable course he has made his way to a respect¬ able position in the agricultural world, winning the hearty admiration of the people of his county and earning a reputation as an enterprising, progressive man of affairs, which the public has not been slow to recognize and appre¬ ciate.

P. F. Self, an enterprising agriculturist and owner of eighty-nine acres of fine farm land, was born August 25, 1856, in Rush county, Indiana, the son of Randall and Nancy (Knox) Self. Randall Self died while the sub¬ ject of this sketch was a baby. There were two other children born to Ran¬ dall and Nancy Self, namely, Frank Boone and Ruth, the latter being de¬ ceased. Such education as could be obtained in the common schools was enjoyed by the subject, his boyhood days being occupied, aside from his schooling, in helping in the operation of the home farm. On reaching mature years Mr. Self took up agriculture on his own account, renting land, which he cultivated and developed with such commendable industry that he was in time enabled to purchase land for himself, and his present splendid farm is a striking example of what is possible for one to accomplish if he will but apply himself to the task in the right way.