Prairie Township (part 2 of 2)

William F. Smithy merchant, Sprin^port, Ind., is a native of West Virginia, born Jan. 10, 1848, a son of William and Susan (Clelland) Smith, his father born in 1804, and his mother in 1806. He came with his parents to Henry County, Ind., in 1865, and settled near Mt. Summit, where his father died in 1880. His mother still lives in Henry County. There was a family of ten children ; six are living. William F. Smith was educated in his native State, and after coming to Henry County began teaching school, following the vocation twelve years. He then engaged in farming three years, and then moved to Springport and became associated with H. C. Morris, in the mercantile business. IS^ine months later he bought Mr. Morris's interest and has since carried on the business alone. He has a neat store and keeps a full supply of everything in -his line. Mr. Smith was married in 1876 to Amanda, daughter of Peter Cory, of Henry County, They have two children - Eulalie and Cora Ella. Mr. Smith has served as Township Trustee two years.

John Snider^ son of Hezekiah and Ellen (Cassidy) Snider, was born in Prairie Township, Henry Co., Ind., Dec. 15, 1857. He has followed farming through life and now owns a fine farm of sixty-eight acres of well-cultivated land, situated on section 27. Sept. 5, 1878, he was married to Lue, daughter of Joel and Mary Leath, the latter now residing in this township. To Mr. Snider and wife have been born two children - Luther, born in October, 1882, and one who died in infancy. Politically our subject is a Hepublican. His father was one of the first settlers of this section and was the owner of the first mill of the township, and at his death he possessed about 700 acres of land. Our subject's mother still resides on the old homestead in Prairie Township.

Zachariah Snider was born in 1850, in Prairie Township, Henry Co., Ind., a son of Hezekiah and Ellen (Cassidy) Snider. His father was a native of Kentucky, and when a boy he came to Indiana with his father, Peter Snider, who built the first mill in this part of the county, on Blue River. Hezekiah Snider was married at Eaton, Ohio, to Ellen, daughter of Weir and Elizabeth (Wishonl Cassidy, by whom he had eight children, of whom five are living - John, Mary Jane, Adaline, Virginia Ann and our subject. Those deceased are - Nancy, Peter, and one who died in infancy. Zachariah Snider was reared in Prairie Township, and on the death of his father, in April, 1879, he took charge of the farm, which contains 200 acres of land in a high state of cultivation. He was married in 1878 to Sophia, daughter of Obediah Jennings, of Horth Carolina. They have one son - Jesse Frederick, born July 17, 1879. In politics Mr. Snider affiliates with the Republican party.

Wm. Henry Vance was born in Monongalia County, Ya., Hov. 4, 1828, a son of David and Jane (Murdock) Yance, natives of Pennsylvania, his father born July 20, 1803, and his mother Dec.

29, 1807. In 1829 his parents came to Indiana on a flat-boat and located in Rush County, where his father worked at the potter's trade a year. He then moved to Henry County, and by the assistance of a brother entered land, which is now a part of Springport, where he lived till his death, in 1877. The mother died in 1881.v/ She was a weaver by trade and wove thirty yards of cloth after she was seventy -three years old. There was a family of nine children six of whom are living. W^illiam H. Yance was reared and educated in Henry County. After leaving school he went to California and remained five years, working in the gold mines. He returned to Henry County and remained till 1864, when he rented his farm and went to Montana. In 1866 he returned to Indiana and has since been engaged in horticulture and agriculture, making a specialty of apples. He has the largest orchard in the county. He is a member of the State Horticultural Society and the Delaware County Horticultural Society. He has made fruit culture a study, and is probably the best informed man on the subject in the county. His farm contains ninety-six acres of land, eighty acres in Prairie Township, and sixteen acres in Jeflerson Township. In 1856 Mr. Yance was married to Rachel B., daughter of William H. Hickman. She died in 1875 leaving flve children - David W., Clara (wife of Frank Swearengen, now of California), Idaho, Joseph J. and Frances J. Their eldest son, Louis, died when only one day old. In 1875 Mr. Yance married Marv F, Wro, of Ironton, Ohio. They have two children - Elizabeth M. and William H. Mr. Yance is a member of the old school Baptist church, and his wife of the new school.

Jonathan Veach-, residing on section 11, Prairie Township, was born Oct. 29, 1813, in Harrison County, W. 'Fa., a son of Lewis and Eleanor ^Hixon) Yeach, natives of Harrison County, W. Ya., the former born May 10, 1791, of Welsh descent, and the latter. Sept. 9, 1788, of Irish descent, both now deceased. They were the parents of nine children, only three now living - Lewis,

George and Jonathan. Those deceased are - Ruth, Sarah, Mary Ann, Thomas, Joshua and Benjamin. Lewis Yeacli came to Prairie Township with his family in 1831, remaining till his death. Our subject was married July 6, 1836, to Susan Mellett, born April 10, 1814, a daughter of Jesse and Judith (Glasscock) Mellett, who were of English origin, and came to Prairie Township from West Yirginia in 1827. Mr. Yeach and wife had ten children, five of whom are deceased - William, Jesse, Ruth, Mary Ann and Levina. Those living are - Sarah, at home with her father; Margaret, wife of C. E. Barrett, of Indianapolis; Etta, wife of 0. R. John son, of Los Angeles County, Cal.; Lewis, of Texas, and John Mellett, residing with his father. Mr. Yeach has a highly cultivated farm of 200 acres and is surrounded by the comforts of life. He has been an active member of the Lebanon Baptist church since its organization.

James L. Waters is a native of Monongalia County, W. Ya., born Sept. 16, 1817, a son of George and Mary (Davis) Waters. In 1834 he came with his parents to Indiana. They lived in Hew Castle till March, 1835, when his father entered eighty acres of land in Prairie Township, on which they erected a small cabin and then went to work to clear the land. His mother died about 1856, and his father in 1866. They had a family of six children three of whom are living. James L. was educated in Yirginia. On reaching manhood he engaged in agricultural pursuits, which he has always followed. He now owns a fine farm of 190 acres, with a good residence and comfortable farm buildings. He was married in March, 1846, to Margaret J., daughter of Peter Currem, an early settler of Henry County. They have had seven children - George M., Colman, Frank L., Mark O., Claude, Sallie and Mary R. Mr. Waters cast his first presidential vote for General Harrison and to-day is a strong Republican. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is a Class-leader and Steward.

Robert F. West was born in Prairie Township, Henry Co., Ind., March 17, 1837, a son of William and Anna (Burns) West, his father'a native of Surry County, H. C., born in 1811, and his mother of Yirginia, born in 1810. His father came to Henry County in 1827, when there were but two cabins in the township west of Blue River. His parents were married in 1830, and to them were born three children, Robert F. being the only one living. His mother died in September, 1838, and his father subsequently married Susan West. To them were born ten children, eight of whom are living - Margaret, William P., Sarah Adaline, Thomas W., Amanda Elizabeth, Susan Caroline, John M. and Edward Lincoln. Kobert R. West was married Jan. 1, 1857, to Dorothy Ann Cleland, who was born Aug. 1, 1812, a daughter of Larkin Oleland. To them have been born five children - Mary Ann, now Mrs. Mahlon Elliott, born Dec. 14, 1857; Etta J., now Mrs. E. Y. Schofield, born March 10, 1862 ; Ida May, born March 1, 1865; Norah, born Jan. 1, 1868; William Guy, born June 20, 1878. Mr. and Mrs. West are members of the Christian church. Politically he is a Democrat. For the past seven years he has been Director of the New Castle & Muncie turnpike.

Washington Wilhite^ farmer and stock-raiser, was born in Mechanicstown, Frederick Co., Md., Dec. 30, 1837, a son of Benjamin and Barbara Ann Wilhite. He remained at home till twenty-three years of age. In 1862 he went to Ohio and stopped in Darke County, and from there came to Wayne County, Ind., and thence to Henry County. Three months later he went to Chicago, 111., Iowa City, Omaha, St. Joseph, Mo., and traveled all over the State of Kansas. He then returned to Indiana and remained on the Wabash River a year and then came again to Henry County. A year later he went East, but again came to Henry County, remaining here three years, when he again visited his old home, but since then has resided here. In 1876 he bought ninety-nine acres of land near Mount Summit, which he has improved and now has one of the pleasantest homes in the township. He was married Nov. 19, 1869, to Amanda, daughter of William and Susan West. They have two children - William Newton, born March 5, 1873, and Sarah Susan, June 12, 1876. Mr. and Mrs. Wilhite are members of the Christian church. Politically he is a Republican.

Albert Williams is a native of Monongalia County, W. Ya., born Oct. 25, 1832, the eldest son of Otho _L. and Ruth S. (Hale) Williams, his father a native of Maryland, born near Hagerstown, Nov. 4,1800, and his mother of Yirginia, born near Morgantown, Dec. 25, 1810. His parents were married Aug. 23, 1831, and in the fall of 1833 came to Indiana. In 1834 Otho Williams entered eighty acres of wild land from the Government, which he cleared and improved and afterward added to it from time to time till he had 170 acres of fine land. He was a'prominent and useful man in the township, and had the esteem of all who knew him. He served in several of the township offices, but was not desirous of public honor and at one time when elected Justice of the Peace refused to qualify. He died Jan. 17,1878. His widow still lives on the homestead. To them were born thirteen children; nine are living - Albert, Gabriel, Lytton, James, Margaret (wife of James Mullen), Sarah (wife of John Kerr), Elizabeth (^deceased), Mathew, George, James (deceased), and Tilman. Albert is living on the farm with his mother, and has charge of her business. He is an upright, honest man, and full of energy and business zeal.

«/. J. 'Williams, farmer, section 3J, Prairie Township, was born April 20, 1832, in Guilford County, H. C., a son of Andrew and Mary (Edwards) Williams, natives of Horth Carolina, his father born Hov. 29, 1790, of English descent, and his mother born Sept. 25, 1794, of Irish descent. They were married June 15, 1813, and in 1853 came to Indiana, and located in Henry County* where his father died June 8, 1861, hnd his mother. Sept. 19, 1876. They had a family of eleven children - Joshua, Richard, Sally, Anna, Andrew, Jonathan, Catharine, Yancey L., Newton H., Joseph J. and Polly J. Mr. Williams was reared and educated in his native State, and came with his parents to Indiana. He has always been a farmer and now owns a good farm of fifty acres, valued at $50 an acre. Politically he has always been a Republican. He was married Oct. 21, 1858, to Laura F., daughter of Anderson and Harriet (Perfect) Jeffries. They have five children - Albert L., born Sept. 18, 1860; Harriet E., born July 21, 1862, was married Dec. 21, 1882, to George E. Robson; Sarah Ann, born July 21, 1865; George O., born Aug. 26, 1868; Cora E., born Aug. 1,1871. Mrs. Williams's parents were natives of Yirginia, her father born Feb. 3, 1795, and her mother, Jan. 7, 1796. They were married August, 1819, and removed to Lancaster, Ohio. In 1837 they came to Henry County, Ind., where the father died March 26, 1865, and the mother, Feb. 16, 1868.

Matthew Williams was born June 22, 1818, in Prairie Township, Henry County, Ind., a son of Otho L. and Ruth S. (Hale) Williams, the former a native of Maryland and the latter of Yirginia. He was married March 15, 1883, to Emma F. Main. Mr. Williams is a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge, No. 33, of Now Castle, Ind. Politically Mr. Williams has always affiliated with the Democratic party.