Brown Twp. -
A. B. DAVIS, drugs, Brown's Valley, was born in Tazewell county, Virginia, in 1828, and came with his parents to Montgomery county in an early day.  Mr. Davis was raised on a farm in Brown township, and attended the common schools, such as they had in an early day.  He served about one year in the late rebellion in the 10th Ind. reg., and was detailed in the medical department to take care of the sick and wounded, and was discharged on account of ill-health.  He has been married twice.  His present wife is Elcy Stillwell.
Source:  History of Montgomery County, Indiana - Part 2 - Publ. 1881 - Page 355

Crawfordsville -
JOHN L. DAVIS, farmer and stock raiser, Crawfordsville, is descended from Welsh ancestry.  His parents were natives of New Jersey.  His father, Randolph Davis, married Abigal Hoel in Butler county, Ohio, and in the autumn of 1826 removed to this county and improved a homestead on Indian creek, in Brown township, on Sec. 13, T. 18, R. 5.  The mother is yet living at this place, and has passed several years in her fifth score.  The first day after the arrival of the family the men in the company built a cabin, which they all occupied at night.  A fire was kindled against the green logs, where the fire-place was soon after made, and the forked flames smiled with a glow of comfort on the new home and its happy inmates.  A deer, killed by one of the men, was hung up in a corner.  Here it was that the subject of this biography was born Apr. 4, 1831.  He was the sixth child of his parents.  His early life was occupied with the usual employments of that period, such as farming and clearing land; and he wrung meanwhile a common school education from the scanty privileges of the time.  He married Miss Eliza E. Van Cleve, daughter of George W. and Margery (Benefiel) Van Cleve, who were natives of Kentucky, and were married in Shelby county, of that state, in 1826.  Mr. Davis was born on the farm where she resides Dec. 24, 1834.  Her parents were Presbyterians, and she has been a communicant in the Old School Presbyterian church since her childhood.  Three children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Davis: George E., born Dec. 8, 1862; Little Harry, Apr. 13, 1864, died Aug. 30, 1864, and Margery S., Nov. 8, 1866.  Mr. Davis is a prominent representative of the Mystic Tie in Montgomery county.  He was made a Master Mason in Montgomery Lodge, No. 50, Jne 11, 1852; a Royal Arch Mason in Crawfordsville Chapter, No. 40, July 30, 1857; received the council degrees in Montgomery Council, No. 34, May 5, 1869, and attained the honorable position of a Knight Templar in Greencastle Commandery, No. 11, Nov. 11, 1870.  He is a charter member of Crawfordsville Commandery, No. 25; was the first treasurer, and except one year has held that office continuously since.  He has attended three triennial conclaves of the Knights Templar; the first at Baltimore in 1871, the second in Cleveland in 1877, and the third in Chicago in 1880.  Mr. Davis owns a valuable farm pleasantly situated about four miles south of Crawfordsville, on the Terre Haute turnpike.  His real estate comprises 460 acres, 220 being under plow and the rest in meadow and pasture.  This fine property, valued at $34,000, has been accumulated mainly by his own hard labor and business industry.  His superb private residence, one of the best in the county, was erected in 1875 at a cost of $6,000.  Exclusive of cellar and attic, it contains fifteen handsome rooms.  On New Year's eve, 1879, Mr. and Mrs. Davis entertained at their home upward of forty, including Knights Templar, their wives, and others.  An elegant supper was spread before a brilliant assemblage of guests, and the affair throughout was too enjoyable not to be conspicuous for a long time in the pleasing recollections of all who were present on that occasion.
Source:  History of Montgomery County, Indiana - Part 2 - Publ. 1881 - Page 180

Brown Twp. -
SIMON C. DAVIS, retired, Waveland, was born in Tazewell county, Virginia, Apr. 14, 1807, and removed to Montgomery county, Indiana, in 1830, locating in Brown township, where he has resided ever since.  He remained on his farm until 1867, afier which he removed to Waveland, where he is able to live a retired life.  In 1840 he served as revenue collector for Montgomery county, and has filled the office of justice of the peace for sixteen years, and is its present incumbent.  He has also served as township trustee, is a deacon of the Missionary Baptist church, of which he has been a  member since 1841. He was married in 1825, to Rebecca Bryan, of Virginia.  She died in this county in 1867.  Was married again in 1872, to Ann E. Galey, formerly Ann E. Srader, whose parents came from Kentucky to Montgomery county in 1837.  She is a native of Fayette county, Kentucky, born in 1825.  Mr. Davis has six children by former wife: Matilda J., wife of M. Williams; George W., Andrew B., Sarah A., wife of P. C. Mullikin; Mary K., wife of William Galey, and America B., wife of J. Stillwell.
Source:  History of Montgomery County, Indiana - Part 2 - Publ. 1881 - Page 352

Brown Twp. -
JOEL DEER, miller and merchant, Waveland, is one of the old and respected pioneers of Montgomery county, and was born in Boone county, Kentucky, in 1828.  His father removed to Montgomery county, Indiana, in 1828, and in 1829 built the first grist-mill that was built in the county, on Sugar creek.  It was of log construction, with one run of stone, which were made of common stones, using the same for wheat and corn.  After running this mill for about ten years he built a frame mill close to where the old mill stood, which has been in constant use ever since.   He died in 1861, after spending a life of usefulness.  He is still fresh in the memories of all of the old settlers, and is missed by the people of the county.  The subject of this sketch has been in active business all his life, and at the same place where his father first located, with the exception of short intervals.  The firm name is Canine & Deer.  They added, in 1873, a woolen-mill, which is a great advantage to the community.  They buy wool and wheat, and also have a saw-mill attached.  In 1849 Mr. Deer married Miss Mary McGrigg, whose parents were early settlers in the county.
Source:  History of Montgomery County, Indiana - Part 2 - Publ. 1881 - Page 350

Brown Twp. -
J. L. DIETRICH, proprietor of hotel, Waveland, was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, Mar. 13, 1837.  At the age of eighteen he served an apprenticeship as carriagesmith.  In 1859 he married Miss Rebecca Miller, a native of Dauphin county, Pennsylvania.  In 1864 he removed to Waveland.  He served in the late rebellion in the 6th and 46th Penn. regs., and was in the battle of Gettysburg.  He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and is a staunch republican.
Source:  History of Montgomery County, Indiana - Part 2 - Publ. 1881 - Page 360

Brown Twp. -
G. S. DURHAM, farmer, Russellville, was born in Putnam county, Indiana, in 1835.  His father, Jacob Durham, was a native of Boyle county, Kentucky, and married Hannah Spears and came to Putnam county about 1827 and settled at Russellville, where he was one among the first.  He kept the first dry-goods store of that place.  The subject of this sketch owns as fine a farm, consisting of 320 acres, as Montgomery county affords.  In 1861 he married Miss Maggie M. Black, daughter of Miller and Maggie Black, of this county.   She was born in Montgomery county, Kentucky, in 1841.  Their family are two sons and two daughters: James E., Mary C., Florence M. and Lee S.  Mr. Durham has for many years been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and votes the democrat ticket.
Source:  History of Montgomery County, Indiana - Part 2 - Publ. 1881 - Page 349

Brown Twp. -
J. Y. DURHAM, farmer, Waveland, was born in Boyle, county, Kentucky, Nov. 20, 1820.  He remained at home and worked on his father's farm, and in the meantime received a common school education.  He married, Aug. 1, 1843, Martha Tartington, a native of Tennessee, and in 1850 removed to Montgomery county and settled on land entered by his father as early as 1822.  He is a staunch democrat and was elected by their vote, in 1872, to the legislature, which office he filled with credit to himself and constituency.  He is a prominent Mason.  He owns 470 acres of fine improved land in this and Parke counties.  His home farm is located within two miles of the beautiful village of Waveland.  His family are: John L., George T., Crittenden, Laura, Joseph P., Joshua, William Y., and Julia F., deceased.
Source:  History of Montgomery County, Indiana - Part 2 - Publ. 1881 - Page 358