Veedersburg, Indiana

The second society of the United Brethren church holds its meetings in the Methodist Episcopal church at Sterling. This class proper is the one that formerly held its services in Chambersburg. It is prospecting for a new church building to be built in Veedersburg. The society is in an active working condition. The third society is at Stone Bluff. This society was organized at this place in 1860. The prominent members were Samuel Morgan and Francis Markham. The prosperity of the society has usually been good. It now has under progress of erection a new frame church 32x48, which, w lien completed, will be second to none in the township. The present trustees of this society are George Dice, Samuel Morgan, and John Simpson. It numbers fifty active members. The Sunday-school connected with the society is in a live condition.

Passage source: History of Fountain County : Together with Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley, Gleaned from Early Authors, Old Maps and Manuscripts, published 1881.

The Christian Disciples. This order, under this name, first made its appearance in Van Buren township in 1835, at Cool Springs Church, where it remained a successful society till 1874, when it removed to Veedersburg, erecting at that place a handsome frame churchhouse at a cost of §2,000. Among its first prominent members are the names of Daniel Osborn, Isac Spinning, Aaron Death, John Jack, John Deth, Harvy Applegate, and William Osborn. A great part of these united, under the name of Disciples, at Cool Springs Church, in 1835. This society, now located at Veedersburg, is one of the most active in the township. Eev. Martin is the present ofiiciating clergyman. Prominent among its members are John McClure, Watson Clark, D. C. Smith, Oliver Osborn, E. M. Osborn, D. K. Smith, and Harvy Young. The society now has fifty members ; the Sunday-school has an attendance of 112.

Passage source: History of Fountain County : Together with Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley, Gleaned from Early Authors, Old Maps and Manuscripts, published 1881.

D. K. Smith, farmer and stock raiser, Veedersburg, is a son of Silas and Clarrissa (Chapman) Smith. The former came to Fountain count> with his parents, Cetns and Nancy (More) Smith, in 182i. Cetus Smith was a native of Connecticut, and when a young man went to New York, where he married and then moved to Ohio, where he rented land of General Harrison, which he formed five years, and then came and settled in Fountain county, where be died in 1840. His ^ife Kancy More, moved to Kansas, where she died. Silas, son of Cetus, was born in 1816. Sliortly after coming to Fountain county he married and settled on Sec. 31, where he lived till his death, in 1852 ; except five years of this time he lived in Iowa. Clarrlssa (Chapman) Smith, is a native of Iventucky, and daughter of Joshua and Rachel Chapman, settlers of Fountain county in 1824, then residents of Iowa five years, then returned to Fountain county, where they both died in 1856, the father aged seventy-six, and the mother aged eighty. Silis Smith raised a family of five children, three of whom are living: I) K., America E., Laura E. D. K. lives near the old town, Chambersburg. He was married in 1864 to Alcinda Walker, daughter of Wesley ''and Margret Osborn, early settlers of Fountain county. By this^ marriage D. K. has three children : James C, Charles W., and Silas M. He and his wife are members of the order of christians known as Disciples, at Cool Creek church. He has a fine farm of 266 acres, all under fence and well improved. D. K.'s mother, an old soldier of the cross, and member of the church at Cool Creek, lives with him. D. K. is, and ever has been, a staunch republican, a wellto-do farmer, and good citizen. His early education was such as he could procure in the district school. While he is a successful man in business, he is a lover of literature and moral development in society. Thomas Patton (deceased) was a native of Pennsylvania. He first emigrated to Franklin county, Ohio, where he remained till 1819, when he c°ame to Parke county, Indiana, where he remained five years, and then moved to Fountain county in 1824, being among the first settlers of Van Buren township. He was married in Ohio to Nancy Hendry, a native of Virginia, by whom he raised a family of seven children, only two of whom are now living. Thomas Patton died in 1858, m his' seventy-first year. He was one of those hardy, energetic pioneers whose influence is long felt, and whose works live long after them. He and his wife were strict communicants of the Presbyterian faith. Thomas Patton's father was a native of Scotland ; his mother, Martha Pritchy, a native of England. His wife's people originally came from Ireland. William Patton, the only surviving son. lives on the old homeplace of his father. He was born in 1821 in Parke county, Indiana, and his early educational training was limited. He was married in 1850 to Deborah Kepner, who died, leaving eight children to mourn her loss: Volney, Sarah, Nancy, Edward, Morton, and Cora; Thomas and Francis, deceased. William Patton was married a second time, in 1875, to Mary J. Bell, with whom he is now living. Mr. Patton is one of those characters who never sought the honors of office, and has ever been content with the blessings of home life. His former wife was a member of the Presbyterian church, so, also, is his present wife. He is at present an elder in the church. He has all his life been a farmer. Success has crowned his efforts. He owns one of the finest farms, of 500 acres, in the southern part of Van Bnren township. In politics he is a staunch republican.

Passage source: History of Fountain County : Together with Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley, Gleaned from Early Authors, Old Maps and Manuscripts, published 1881.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Van Buren Township - it names this place 37 more 37 times.