Ross Township (part 2 of 2)

David J. MoMath, attorney at law and general merchant, Pickard's Mills, Indiana, was born in Chatham County, North Carolina, November 1, 181:9. June 24, 1869, he came to Indiana and rented a farm in Hendricks County two years, and October 15, 1871, came to Clinton County, and lived on rented land in Sugar Creek Township eight years. June 1, 1S79, he formed a partnership in the mercantile business with John W. Hinkle, and located at Pickard's Mills. Six months later he bought Mr. Hinkle's interest and conducted the business alone a year, when he sold an interest to Joab Hinkle, a brother of his first partner. In 1876 Mr. McMath began the study of law, and in 1878 began to practice in the justice courts. In 1884 he was admitted to the bar, and is building up a good practice. He was married April 21, 1869, to

Mies Delia Campbell, who was born in Chatham County, North Carolina, February 19, 1849, daughter of James and Martha (Clark) Campbell. She died in October, 1877, leaving four children - James A., born March 9, 1870; Minta, Margaret A. and Mattie E. Mr. McMath was a second time married, his wife being Mrs. Delilah J. (Niles) McDonald, widow of "William E. McDonald. She was born May 29, 1852. They have two children - Iva, born March 9, 1881, and Earl, born in 1883. In politics Mr. McMath is a Republican, and June 19, 1886, was nominated by his party to represent his district in the State Legislature. He and his wife are members of the Baptist church.

John Rioketts was born in Fleming County, Kentucky, November 22, 1812, a son of Edward and Sarah (Story) Ricketts, also natives of Fleming County. When he was eighteen years old his parents moved to Rush County, Indiana, and entered a farm from the Government. From Rush County our subject came to Clinton County, and entered 200 acres of Government land and cleared a spot where he built his house, but two years later moved to another part of the land which was part prairie. He has added to his tirst entry from time to time until he now owns 357 acres. In 1883 he built his present commodious frame house, and his other farm buildings are comfortable and convenient. He has always been a hardworking man and is rewarded by having a competency for his declining years. Mr. Ricketts was married December 3, 1846, to Orilda Matilda Reed, who was born in Jennings County, Indiana, January 20, 1828, a daughter of John and Mary (Buckles) Reed. They have had eleven children - James M., born November 28, 1847; Priscilla J., born October 10, 1849, is the wife of John Lonks, Mary A., born October 7, 1851, is the wife of James P. Bond ; William L., born April 18, 1855; John E., born July 1, 18.57; Nathan, born November 27, 1859, died July 5, 1862; Joseph H., born October 23, 1861 ; C. W.,born Jnne 30, 1863; Sarah, born July 7, 1865; Addie M., born March 18, 1867; Charles W., born October 9, 1869. Mr. Ricketts in politics is a Republican. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mrs. Ricketts's father was born in the State of New York in 1800, and when a young man accompanied his father's family to Jennings County, Indiana. He enlisted in the war of the Rebellion, and died in the hospital at Memphis, Tennessee, August 15, 1865. Her mother was born near Shepardstown, Virginia, December 6, 1792, and was first married to John H. Rodgers, who was born January

3, 1787, and died December 2, 1821, and she then married Mr. Reed, and to them were born six children - Cecilia F., Martha J., Orilda M., George "W., Charles "W. and Francis M. The mother -died February 14, 1867.

Geoege W. Robbins, druggist, Pickard's Mill, Indiana, came to Clinton County March 1, 1865, and settled in Sugar Creek Township, on section 35, buying 120 acres of land on which he lived seven years. In the fall of 1S73 he exchanged a part of his property for lots in Pickard's Mill and money, and engaged in the general mercantile business a year. He then sold out and built his store building, and May 25, 1875, put in a stock of drugs and groceries. In 1876 he sold his stock and rented the building until April, 1886, when he and his son bought the stock of W. W. Cormack, and now are conducting a successful business. Mr. Robbing was born February 1, 1829, in Wayne County, Indiana, and when ten years of age accompanied his parents to Fulton County, Indiana. He was married in Montgomery County, April 22, 1855. to Rachel Fisher, who was born in Tippecanoe County, August 22, 1832, but was reared in Montgomery County, her parents moving there when she was ten years old. She was a daughter of James and Phoebe (Moon) Fisher, natives of Ohio, the father born in Highland County, January 8, 1808, and died in 1878, and the mother born in Clinton County in 1810, and died in 1846. Mr. and Mrs. Robbins have had seven children - Mary C, born January 17, 1856, died March 15, 1874; Olive, born October 15, 1857; Charles, born March 29, 1860; Emma, September 15, 1863; U.S. Grant, August 9, 1868; Schuyler Colfax, August 6, 1870, and Mj'rtle, August 7, 1874. In politics Mr. Robbins is a Republican. He is a member of the Society of Friends, his wife being a member of the Baptist church. He has served Sugar Creek Township as justice of the peace four years, and has been in the postoffice either as postmaster or assistant nine years. His parents, James and Miriam (Davis) Robbins, were natives of Randolph County, North Carolina, the father born January 7, 1789, and the mother in 1793. His mother died in Fulton County, March 2, 1869, and his father in Sugar Creek Township, September 25, 1873. His paternal grandparents were Moses and Alice (Harlan) Robbins, and his maternal grandparents were Emmor and Alice (Stocker) Davis. The latter were Quakers, and Mr. Robbins's mother was deprived of her membership because of her marriage to a Methodist. His paternal great-grandparents, John and Eliza- beth (Curtis) Robbins, were also natives of North Carolina, of "Welsh descent. The former was a Baptist clergyman, and at the battle of Guilford Court-House was taken prisoner by the Tories, and his ill treatment while a captive affected his mind and he never fully recovered, although he lived to be 100 years old. On the same evening the grandfather of Mr. Robbins was carried off by the same band of Tories, but being only a boy was released in a few days. Alice Harlan, his grandmother, and an older sister were compelled by the same band to pilot them to the home of Captain John Bryant, whose wife was a sister of the grandfather's, he being at home on furlough at the continement of his wife. The Tories surrounded the house, and while the two girls crouched inside of the door, Bryant was shot down in his house and the girls left to get home as best they could.

Petke M. Wiles was born in Hamilton County, Indiana, July 31, 1840, where he grew to manhood, remaining oti his father's farm, which he worked on shares till two years after reaching liis majority. He was married December 25, 1863, to Susan J. Ray, who was born June 7, 1836, in Shelby County, Indiana, coming with her parents to this county in 1838, and after living a short time in Kirklin Township they removed to Sugar Creek Township, where her father entered a part of the farm which is now occupied by our subject. Here he built the log house which is now the home of our subject, the house having been moved about a quarter of a mile from its original location. Here Mr. and Mrs. Ray lived till their death, the former dying in 1860, and the latter some ten years previous. In this house Mrs. Wiles was reared from early childhood, living in it till her death, September 7, 1876. She left a family of three children - Conrad, engaged in the lumber trade in Oregon; Morris M., born October 10, 1864, and Adamson B., born February 24, 1868. Mr. Wiles was married a second time, March 31, 1878, to Sarah E. Hammack, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Koffman) Hammack. They have had one child - Flora Gertrude, born April 6, 1882, who died September 14 of the same year. In their religious views Mr. and Mrs. Wiles are Christians. In politics he is a Democrat. He takes an active interest in all enterprises for the advancement of his township, and has served as school director, besides holding the office of supervisor. Mr. Wiles came to Clinton County, January 1, 1864, and has lived since then on his present farm on section 11 of Sugar Creek Township. He has met with good success in his agricult- ural parsuits, and besides his home farm, which contains fifty -five acres of choice land, he owns the northeast quarter of section 10, making in all 215 acres. Oar subject is a son of Adamson B. and Elender (Blanchard) Wiles. His father was born May 12, 1806, in Pennsylvania, of German descent, and was taken to Ohio in 1808. He was married in 1827, and moved to Rush County, Indiana, in 1831, and in 1836 removed to Hamilton County,' when he entered eighty acres of the farm where he still resides, and also entered another eighty-acre tract in another part of the same county. His land was entirely unimproved, he cutting the first timber on the place. He erected a log shanty and subsequently built a good residence in the same yard, where he has made his home for fifty years, and is still living there at the age of eighty years. His wife, the mother of our subject, died in Hamilton County when comparatively a young woman, her death occurring in 1851. Mrs. Wiles's father was born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, June 12, 1800, and in 1802 was taken to Granger County, Tennessee, where he was married in 1825 to Elizabeth Koffman, who was born September 6, 1803. In 1832 they removed thence to Union County, Indiana, remaining there till 1837. They then settled in Hamilton County, Indiana, where Mrs. Wiles was born January 4, 1842. Her father died in Hamilton County, October 5, 1858, and her mi^ther August 26, 1870. Her grandparents, James and Elizabeth (Brock) Hammack, were natives of Virginia of English descent, and her maternal grandparents, Reinhart and Elizabeth Koffman, were of German descent.