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HISTORY
OF PARKE COUNTY, INDIANA
(Source: History of Vigo & Parke County, Indiana - Chicago:
H. H. Hill & N. Iddings, 1880, 1310 pgs.
(Transcribed by Sharon Wick)
BIOGRAPHIES OF WABASH TOWNSHIP
NOTE: Biographies will be transcribed upon request
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BATMAN, George W. |
349 |
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BAUGH, John |
343 |
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BRADFIELD, Reason |
349 |
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BROCKWAY, James L. |
346 |
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BROWN, Azariah D. |
342 |
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BROWN, Silas |
348 |
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COOKE, Andrew |
345 |
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COOKE, Charlie |
344 |
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HIXON, Aquilla J. |
340 |
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HIXON, James |
340 |
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HIXON, Michael G. |
341 |
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HIXON, Samuel |
340 |
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HIXON, William |
339 |
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LAVERTY,
Aquilla |
341 |
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McCUNE, Henry C. |
343 |
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MONTGOMERY,
John |
344 |
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PICKARD, Isaac A. |
348 |
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PUNTENNEY, John G. |
345 |
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SKEETERS, Joseph A. |
347 |
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SMITH, Orien |
347 |
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USELMAN, George W. |
346 |
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WHITE, Basel |
343 |
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WILDMAN, John |
348 |
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GEORGE
W. BATMAN, miller, Armiesburg, is the present owner
of the Mecca merchant and custom flouring mills. In
1875 he formed a partnership with W. W. McCune, in
the woolen factory and custom mill at Mecca, and in
February, 1880, became sole proprietor and owner of the
grist-mill. He has overhauled the mill, put in new and
improved machinery, and, having a never-failing water
supply, is doing a very successful business in both the
custom and merchant line. He is a son of William
and Angeline (Frazier) Batman, and was born in Apr. 18,
1852, in Wabash township. His education was mostly
received at Bloomingdale, Parke county, though he attended
one term at Stockwell, Tiippecanoe county, Indiana.
Before going into business he followed school teaching about
eight years. July 20, 1876, he was married to Miss
Isabel, daughter of Samuel Lowery, one of Parke
county's early settlers. Mr. Bateman's affable,
good ways, and honest, upright business principle, secure
him the confidence of strangers as well as his many friends. |
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JOHN
BAUGH, farmer, Rockville, Indiana, was born in
Pickaway county, Ohio, Mar. 11, 1823. At about the age
of two years he with his parents, George and Catharine
(Butts) Baugh, emigrated to Parke county, and so he
became one of the pioneer children. His parents being
poor he was deprived of even the advantages of a pioneer
school education. At the age of twenty, with nothing
but his empty hands, he began in Parke county, determined to
make a home for himself, and has been successful, as he is
now the owner of a very fine 160 acre farm, on which he has
built a handsome and substantial residence. On July 4,
1861, he was married to Martha, daughter of Mr.
Jesse Draper, an early settler of Parke county; she died
Nov. 1, 1874. By this marriage he became the father of
five children: Gertrude E., Henry, Jesse, Frederick,
and Gracie, July 11, 1875, he married, for his second
wife, Miss Martha Branson, a native of Tennessee. |
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REASON
BRADFIELD, farmer, Rockville, is the son of
William Bradfield, and was born in Columbiana
county, Ohio, Oct. 30, 1834. His father was an elder
in the Christian church, and in politics a whig, then a
republican, and died in 1861. Mr. Bradfield had
only a moderate education, and lived in Ohio until he was
eighteen years old. In the fall of 1852 he moved to
Parke county. He began farming as a renter, but now
has a large farm of 400 acres, upon which he has recently
erected a beautiful and costly slate-roof dwelling house.
He was married Sept. 1, 1857, to Elizabeth, daughter
of Guy Cornthwaite. They have five children:
Melvina J., Albert, who died May 27, 1867;
John, Hannah E., who died June 1, 1866; Sarah
L., Mary, William, who died Mar. 13, 1875, and
Wallace. Mr. Bradfield is a member of the
Christian church, and in politics is an adherent to the
principles of the national party. Mr. Bradfield
is a respected and influential member of society. |
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JAMES
L. BROCKWAY, farmer and stock raiser, Armiesburg, is
one of this township's live, energetic business farmers.
He is a son of William S. and Jane (Laverty) Brockway,
early settlers of Parke county. He was born Sept. 30,
1835, in Liberty township, Parke county, Indiana. He,
like his father, was reared a farmer with but a limited
means of education, yet, by close application to his
studies, and a firm will, he gained a practical education.
At about the age of fifteen he began for himself by working
out by the year, and he now owns 335 acres of well improved
and valuable land, all earned by his own industry and close
attention to business, about two miles southwest of
Armiesburg. This is evidence of what a man having a
determined will and industrious, straightforwards habits can
accomplish. Apr. 1, 1858, he married Miss Sarah,
daughter of William and Mary Tucker; she was born in
Cincinnati, Ohio, Dec. 25, 1841. They have three
children: Mary J., born Dec. 25, 1841. They
have three children: Mary J., born Dec. 25, 1859;
John F., born Oct. 11, 1869, and William S., born
Nov. 27, 1873. Mr. Brockway is the present
township trustee. He has been justice of the peace
four years, and assessor four years. He is one of the
few who are making a success in farming. |
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AZARIAH
D. BROWN, farmer, Armiesburg, is one of the few early
pioneers yet living. He was born in Nelson county,
Ky., Dec. 9, 1809, and at about the age of fifteen, in
company with his step-father, came to the township with
ox-teams, that being the usual mode of travel in those days.
He at once began for himself by working out by the month,
and in 1830, with the first money he ever had of his own, he
bought a piece of government land in Sec. 17, T. 15, and
began to improve a farm. He also engaged in
boat-building and boating down the rivers, making several
trips to New Orleans. In 1838 he married Miss Maria,
daughter of Mr. Abner Cox, one of the early
settlers and business men of Armiesburg; he was a millwright
by trade, and built at Armiesburg the first mill at any note
in this part of Parke county. By this marriage Mr.
Brown became the father of eight children, seven of whom
are living: Margaret, Emily, Eliza, Silas, William
C., Harriet (dead), John H. and Martha.
In March, 1869, his wife died, and he again married,
this time, in March 1872, Olive (Underwood) Plaster.
She has four children by her former husband. Before
Mr. Brown divided his property among his children he
owned 1,000 acres of land. He now owns 400 acres and
lives one and a half miles southeast of Amiesburg, on the
county gravel road. He has earned all his property by
hard work, good management and economy; he is a self-made
man. In politics he is a republican. |
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SILAS
BROWN, farmer, Armiesburg, is a son of Mr. A. D.
Brown, one of the honorable pioneers of Wabash township,
and was born Oct. 25, 1844. His education was acquired
in the pioneer schools of his youth, and he was employed
while young in the duties of improving a timber farm in a
new country. In January, 1864, he, like other
patriotic young men, volunteered his services to his
country, and became a member of Co. C, 123d Ind. Vol. Inf.
He participated in the battles of Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca,
Ga., Kenesaw Mountain, Nashville, Tenn., and Kingston, N.
C., and was honorably discharged with his regiment in 1865,
when he returned home and engaged in farming. Mar. 18,
1869, he married Miss Sarah, daughter of
William Hixon, one of this
county's early pioneers. They have three children:
Fannie, Clarence, and Jennie. He is now
living just south of Armiesburg, on his pleasant little farm
of eighty-five acres of land. Politically Mr. Brown
is an unwavering republican. |
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ANDREW
COOKE, farmer, Armiesburg, was born in Wabash
township Jan. 7, 1833. His parents, Thomas and Jane
(Ensworth) Cooke, are numbered among the early pioneers
of Parke county, and Andrew, like other pioneer
children, was deprived of the advantages of a liberal
education. Until he reached the age of eighteen he
lived with his parents on the farm, and Apr. 6, 1852, he
with four others started for California, via the plains,
with teams, and on Aug. 16, of the same year arrived at
Placerville, California. There he engaged in mining,
which he followed with fair success till Mar. 5, 1858, when
he sailed from San Francisco for New York via Panama, and
arrived home April 1, of the same year. Dec. 23, 1858,
he married Miss Martha A., daughter of Thomas C.
and Saluda A. (Camper) Hayth. She was born
in Parke county, Indiana. They removed to Edgar
county, Illinois, and he bought and improved a farm and
followed farming and stock raising till 1863. He then
sold his farm, moved back to his old home, and rented a farm
three years. He finally bought his present farm of 250
acres, and permanently located, where he is now engaged in
farming and stock raising. He has seven children
living: Charles T., Eva M., Rosie May, Florence E.,
Virginia, Clarence M. and Burtie. He has
acquired the larger part of his property by his own industry
and close attention to business. |
| CHARLIE
COOKE, farmer and stock raiser, Armiesburg, was born
in Wabash township Sept. 7, 1830. He is a son of the
venerable pioneers of Wabash township, Mr. and Mrs.
Thomas and Jane (Ensworth) Cooke. His early youth
was spent on the farm and attending the pioneer schools,
equipped with their slab seats and desks, and kept on the
old subscription principle. At about the age of eleven
years, on account of the death of his father, he began
working out by the month, and at the age of seventeen he
assumed the management of the old farm, taking care of his
widowed mother and children. Aug. 7, 1854, he was
married to Miss Virginia, daughter of Thomas and
Salludia (Camper) Hayth; she was born July 20, 1833.
They have five children: Alice, Sarah J., Martha E.,
wife of Mr. Alfred Tucker; Esta Fadelia, and Cora.
In December, 1859, Mr. Cooke bought his present
farm of over 400 acres, one of the most desirable locations
in that part of Parke County, about two miles southeast of
Armiesburg, with excellent improvements, and all earned by
his own industry, hard labor and close attention to
business. Politically he is a republican. His
parents came from Circleville, Ohio, to Wabash township in
1820. They first lived in the old fort for safety from
the Indians, but soon entered land in what was the Indian
reserve, north of the Ten-O'clock line. Mrs. Cooke's
parents came to this county in about 1830; hence both she
and her husband were reared pioneer children. |
| AQUILLA
J. HIXON, farmer, Armiesburg, is a son of William
and Margaret (Levick) Hixon, and was born June 22, 1839,
in Wabash township. His early youth was spent engaged
in farm duties and attending a school, which was not
furnished with patent seats or desks, but with split log
seats, flat side up. June 15, 1879, he married Miss
Mary E., daughter of William and Mary Tucker; she
was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He now owns 300 acres of
land one mile south of Armiesburg, and is living in a good
brick residence. His mother, who came to this county
in 1828, is still living. She was born at Shepardstown,
West Virginia, and was first married to Mr. John Bowers,
who died of yellow fever in New Orleans in 1834. |
| JAMES
HIXON, farmer, Armiesburg, one of Wabash township's
pioneer children, was born Aug. 21, 1824. He is a son
of William and Sarah (Ghormley)
Hixon. As he was reared in a new country, he
has deprived of the advantages of education, with the
exception of what he could acquire from the old subscription
schools described in this township's early history. He
was raised a farmer-boy, and at the age of twenty-one began
for himself in that business. September 17, 1846, he
married Eliza Wannamaugher. She was born
near Chillicothe, Ohio, April 20, 1825, but came to this
county when quite young. They have seven children:
William O., Catherine Margaret, Samuel, John, Lurinda
and Basil J. His farm of 260 acres is one mile
south of Mecca. His eldest son, William, is
married to a Miss Dona Godard, of Indianapolis. |
| MICHAEL
G. HIXON, farmer and stock raiser, Armiesburg, was
born in Wabash township, and on the same ground where he now
lives, Nov. 4, 1830. He was reared on the farm, and
his education mostly acquired in the pioneer schools of his
boyhood days, though at the age of twenty he attended the
Asbury University one term at Greencastle, Indiana, and then
for the following eight years taught school winters, farming
summers. Mar. 20, 1853 he married Miss Mary C.,
daughter of Mr. John Levick, who was born in
Virginia, but came here when about fifteen years old.
After his marriage Mr. Hixon turned his attention
more particularly to farming, but has made some changes,
having owned land and farmed in both Indiana and Illinois.
In 1872 he bought of his father the old homestead where he
was born, and is now permanently engaged in stock raising
and farming. His farm is on the elevated plain, far
above the overflow of the Wabash river. He has filled
the position of township trustee twelve years, township
clerk three terms, and is now school director. He has
nine children living: Edwin F., Mary F., Theodore,
Jennie, Rufus, Fred, Oliver, Sallie and Joseph N. Mr.
Hixon is one of the representative men of Wabash
township |
| SAMUEL
HIXON, farmer, Armiesburg, is a son of William and
Sarah (Ghormley) Hixon, and was born in Wabash township,
Oct. 20, 1826. He was one of the pioneer children of
this township, and his advantages for an education were very
limited. It may be truly said that he was one of the
pioneer scholars, as he attended the first school, and was
taught by the first teacher who ever taught in the township.
He was, like his father, reared a farmer, and at the age of
twenty-three began farming for himself. Feb. 2, 1854,
he was married to Miss Nancy J. Shirk, who soon after
died. Mrs. Sarah Cook became his second wife,
by whom he had three children: Martha, Charlie B.
and Leonora. This wife died Jan. 16, 1871, and
his last marriage was with Miss Marguretta Alden.
His farm of 217 acres is situated near Mecca, and has a
very comfortable appearance. |
| WILLIAM
HIXON, deceased, was born near Crab Orchard,
Ky., Oct. 15, 1801. His parents moved to Vincennes,
Indiana, in 1805, and soon after they both died, leaving him
and his two sisters, younger than himself, orphans.
They were taken in the family of an uncle, a brother of
their mother, with whom they lived till William was
fourteen years old, when he was apprenticed to a carpenter,
with whom he served till twenty-one. He enjoyed no
educational advantages, attending school but four days.
He, however, spent all his spare time doing odd jobs of any
kind to help educate his sisters. During the Indian
troubles of 1811 and 1812 he spent most of his time in Fort
Ellison, near Vincennes, where all the whites were compelled
to shut themselves up for safety. He often told of
little incidents that occurred during his stay in the fort,
one of which was as follows: He was sent out on
horseback a short distance from the fort to look after some
cattle, and was surprised by a band of Indians, who
immediately gave chase and came very near capturing him
before he reached the fort. He often spoke of a
conference which took place under a large tree near the
fort, between Gen. Harrison and some of the chiefs,
during which one of the Indians made a very forcible speech.
At the close of his apprenticeship he came to Terre Haute,
then a village of only a few houses, and stopped there but a
short time, working at his trade, and then came to what is
now Wabash township, Parke county, Indiana. In 1823 he
married Miss Sarah Ghormley a daughter of Isaac
Ghormley, a miller by trade, who had a short time
before come from near Circleville, Ohio, and
settled in Wabash township. He had a family consisting
of one son, Michael, who in 1840 removed to
Wisconsin, where his descendants still reside, and six
daughters: Margaret, Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Hannah
and Sarah, who became the wifes respectively of
John Brown, Henry Brown, Samuel
Laverty, Aquilla Justice *, Samuel Miles and
William Hixon, all of whom in an early day were citizens
of Wabash township, and from whom sprang a relationship of
families which is now scattered throughout the northwest.
After his marriage Mr. Hixon did a mixed business of
farming and carpentering until 1830, when he bought the farm
on which he spent most of the remainder of his life, farming
and teaming, often making trips to Louisville and Chicago,
taking produce and bringing back goods. He also
engaged in building flat-boats and running them to New
Orleans, loaded with produce from the fertile Wabash
bottoms. By his first wife Mr. Hixon had five
sons. She died Apr. 8, 1835, after which he married
Mrs. Margaret (Levick) Bowers, by whom he had four sons
and two daughters. He died peacefully at his home
where he so long lived, on Nov. 5, 1879, after a long and
useful life, honored by all who knew him, and loved and
respected by his family. |
| AQUILLA
LAVERTY. If there is one more than another in
Wabash township or Parke county possessing an indomitable
will and determined ambition it is Aquilla Laverty.
When he began for himself with nothing, his highest
aspiration was to redeem the old home that through bad
management and neglect had been lost before he became of
age. In conversation with a friend he once said: "I
started with a determination to get back the old home and
never to drink a drop of intoxicating liquor," and he made
good his word. He now owns, in the northwest part of
Florida township and in the southwest part of Wabash
township, 3,636 acres of splendid Wabash bottom lands,
besides, in Montezuma, he owns two of the best business
houses and the best private residence, also city property in
Terre Haute and land in Missouri. This large amount of
property he has made by his own hard labor, industry and
close attention to business, and is now, at the age of
fifty-eight years, actively engaged in farming and stock
raising. In 1879 he had raised on his farms 23,000
bushels of wheat, besides corn and other grain, and has
raised this year (1880) 1,200 acres of wheat. He was
born in Wabash township Oct. 3, 1822, and was one of the
pioneer children. Though deprived of the advantages of
education, he yet, in spite of adverse circumstances,
acquired a fair education. Sept. 12, 1850, he married
Miss Elizabeth Justice,
who was born in this township, and is a daughter of one of
the early pioneers. Mr. Laverty's time is too
constantly employed with his own business to take much of an
interest in politics, yet in the time of his country's peril
he furnished the money and helped to raise a company for the
31st Ind. Vol. Inf., and went with them to the front,
participating in the taking of Fort Donelson, and soon after
was engaged at Pittsburgh Landing. He was severely
wounded, from the effects of which he is yet lame, and as he
has not received any compensation in the way of a pension.
He has four children: George W., Irene, Minnie, and
Kit C. |
| HENRY
C. McCUNE, farmer, Armiesburg, one of Wabash
township's most genial and whole-souled men, is a son of
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander McCune, early and well known
pioneers of this township, and was born June 20, 1830.
He attended the first pioneer school in this township, with
its slab desks and benches, but finished his education by
attending Asbury University one collegiate year, at
Greencastle, Indiana. At about the age of eighteen he
entered the store of R. K. Harris & Co. as clerk, at
Armiesburg, and continued with them eight years. Nov.
30, 1854, he married Miss Mary A., daughter of
Thomas and Cyntha A. (Laverty) Melvin; she was born in
Wabash township Jan. 26, 1833. Her father died at New
Orleans Feb. 22, 1833, and her mother Mar. 17, 1870.
Mr. McCune has six children: Horace M., Charles
R., Alexander, William W., Minnie, and Samuel.
He is now living at his present home, one miles south of
Armiesburg, and in addition to which he has another of 160
acres a few miles north of his home. In politics he is
a solid republican. |
| JOHN
MONTGOMERY, farmer, Armiesburg, is the son of a
tanner, who came to this county in 1828 from Cincinnati,
Ohio, where he began business in the early history of that
city. The subject of this sketch was born in this
township, and on the farm on which he now lives, July 9,
1831. He received but a limited education in the
pioneer schools of his boyhood days. He was reared a
farmer, and that vocation he still follows. Nov. 18,
1855, he married Miss Rachel, daughter of Mr.
Jesse Berry; she was born Apr. 8, 1851, in Florida
township. They have three children: Alvy C.,
Frederick, and Samuel M. His farm is two
miles southeast of Armiesburg, on the county gravel road.
His parents, Samuel and Prudence (Mowen) Montgomery,
raised a family of seven children: Mary J., John, the
subject of this sketch; William, who died from the
effects of hardships received fighting for his country in
the 85th reg. Ind. Vol. Inf.; David, Alexander, Martha,
and Margaret, all of whom experienced pioneer life in
Parke county. |
| ISAAC
A. PICKARD, farmer, Martinton, Illinois, is now in
Illinois actively engaged in farming, and therefore
Martinton township, Iroquois county, can boast of owning as
a citizen one of Parke county's industrious sons. He
was born in Sugar Creek township, Parke county, Indiana,
Oct. 11, 1845, and is a son of Isaac W. and Sallie (Ephlin)
Pickard His youth was spent on the farm, engaged
in all the duties of a backwoods boy, part of which was
going to mill with grists on horseback. He also
attended school as far as was possible while home, but
attended a graded school after he returned from the war.
In June, 1863, he enlisted in Co. A, 85th Ind. Vol. Inf.
He was in the battles of Resaca, Peach Tree Creek and many
others, and was with Sherman on his memorable march
to the sea, a large part of the time detailed as forager.
On July 21, 1865, he was honorably discharged, and returned
home; took charge of the old farm and followed farming four
years. He then sold out his farm, having previously
bought out the heirs, and engaged in carpentering, attending
graded school, and the livery business, till Apr. 17, 1873,
when he was appointed and sworn in as deputy sheriff of
Parke county, Indiana, in which capacity he served two
years, faithfully performing the duties of that office.
Jan. 2, 1876 he married Miss Josie, daughter of
Hiram G. and Indiana (Laverty)
Brockway. She was born in Parke county, Wabash
township, September 24, 1852, but soon after went with her
parents to Iroquois county, Illinois. Her father died
soon after settling in that county, and her mother is still
living, and is in possession of a very remarkable memory,
and from her was gathered much of the history of Wabash
township. Immediately after Mr. Pickard's
marriage he removed to Iroquois county. He has two
children: Alvis B., born Dec. 8, 1876, and Gloria
May, born Oct. 4, 1878. Politically Mr. Pickard
is a republican. He is also a member of the Masonic
fraternity. |
| JOHN
G. PUNTENNEY, farmer and stock raiser, Armiesburg,
was born in Parke county Dec. 14, 1834, and is a son of
Aquilla and Eleanor (Headley) Puntenney, who came from
Ohio to what is now Wabash township away back in 1818, and
were the very earliest pioneers here, settling, as they did,
the farthest back from civilization, and there lived and
reared their family and accumulated a large property.
Aquilla Puntenney served as a soldier in the war of
1812, and died in December, 1878, after a life of labor; and
though lost to sight, to memory dear. The subject of
this sketch, reared as he was in a new country, was deprived
of the advantages of the education which today is so
necessary. He however gained what knowledge he could
in the backwoods pioneer school of his time, and at about
the age of eighteen he began for himself, working part of
his father's farm on shares. He now owns over 300
acres of land one and a half miles south of Armiesburg on
the old state road. He built himself one of the finest
residences in this part of Parke county. Part of the
farm he inherited from his father's estate. Mar. 11,
1875, he married Mrs. Margaret Hixon Weese. She
is a daughter of William and
Margaret Hixon, and was born March 3, 1842.
They have one child, Ethel, born July 11, 1878.
She has four children by her former husband. |
| JOSEPH
A. SKEETERS, farmer, Armiesburg, was born in Reserve
township, Parke county, Indiana, June 25, 1836. His
parents, Mr. Abram and Margaret (Goodwin) Skeeters,
were born in Kentucky, and came to this county far back in
its early settlement. They reared a family of eight
children, Joseph being the youngest. His father
died when he was about fourteen months old, and he received
his education in the old subscription schools of his boyhood
days. When fifteen years old he became the manager of
the old home farm, and thus at that early age he began the
business he has successfully followed through life.
Nov. 15, 1860, he was married to Miss Jane, daughter
of Thomas and Cyntha E. (Hart) Bennett. She was
born near Terre Haute, Indiana, May 16, 1842, and at the age
of three years, with her parents, removed to Parke county.
Having lived there from childhood, she is familiar with all
the changes that this county has passed through in the last
thirty years. They have had five children, three of
whom are living: Mary A., Annis, and
William. Mr. Skeeters is now living on his nice
little farm just south of Armiesburg. In politics he
is independent, always supporting the man rather than the
party. |
| ORIEN
SMITH, farmer and stock raiser, Armiesburg, is the
son of Orien Smith, a school teacher by profession,
and was born in Monroe county, New York, Mar. 1, 1816.
In early youth he learned the trade of a carriage-maker, and
also worked on a farm. In 1839 he came to this county
from Ohio, whence he had come when quite young. At the
time he came here the county was quite new, but he soon
engaged in farming near Montezuma, on land bought by
Mr. William Wilson, his father-in-law. In 1839
he married Miss Rachel Wilson. She died in
1873. In 1875 he was married to Mrs. Jane Ham,
whose husband died in the south in the defense of his
country. Mr. Smith has three children by his
first wife: Minerva, wife of Mr. P. Gibboney,
who lives near Lancaster, Ohio; Ross, who lives in
Page county, Iowa; and Ambrose, who is now in
business at Terre Haute, Indiana. Mr. Smith's
present farm contains 260 acres, and he moved to it about
1874. This, his present home, is a result of a life of
labor and industry. |
| GEORGE
W. USELMAN, farmer and stock raiser, Armiesburg, is a
son of Thomas J. and Mary (Johnson) Uselman, early
settlers in this county. George was born Nov.
8, 1836, in Parke county. His early youth was spent
with his parents on the farm, employed in farming,
wagonmaking and attending school in the pioneer log cabins,
with their split-log seats and greased paper windows.
With these limited advantages, and a short time spent at
school at Bloomingdale, he acquired a good, practical
education, and then engaged in teaching school. Oct.
17, 1860, he was married to Miss Melvina, daughter of
Mr. Acquilla and Eleanor (Headley) Puntenney,
early pioneers of this county. In August, 1862, Mr.
Uselman, like all patriotic young men, left the bosom of
his family and enlisted in Co. B, 85th Ind. Vol. Inf.
His first engagement with his country's foe was at
Thompson's Station, Tennessee. Being one of the
musicians he escaped being captured, although all the rest
were taken prisoners. AT Franklin, Tennessee, he
participated in a sharp engagement and his next hard battle
was at Rasaca, Georgia, where he was severely wounded and
sent to the hospital, and finally, May 20, 1865, was
honorable discharged, and returned to his family and home in
Wabash township. He at once engaged in farming and
stock raising, which occupation he now follows. He
owns 250 acres of land, well improved, one and a half miles
south of Armiesburg, on the old state road from Terre Haute
to Lafayette. His very fine residence has one
improvement that could be recommended to many others in
Indiana. |
| JOHN
WILDMAN, farmer and stock raiser, Rockville, is one
of Parke county's wide-awake business men. Besides
being a farmer and stock raiser, he has the oldest and
largest nursery in Wabash township, or in that part of Parke
county, it having been started by his father about forty
years ago, and for the last fourteen years has been under
his own care and supervision. Mr. Wildman is
turning his attention to breeding and raising graded
Holstein cattle. Dec. 23, 1870, he married Miss
Rachel Dixon, and they have two children: Lydia,
born July 10, 1872, and Orvil, born July 2, 1874.
His father, William Wildman, was born in Virginia,
Aug. 8, 1804. His mother, Amy (Woody) Wildman,
was a native of Ohio. They were married in Parke
county in 1841. Mr. and Mrs. Elwood Dixon,
parents of Mrs. John Wildman, were born in North
Carolina, and were early settlers in Parke county. |
| BASEL
WHITE, farmer, Armiesburg, is a son of John and
Jane (Montgomery) White, and grandson of Benjamin
White. He was born Nov. 15, 1815, and at about the
age of thirteen years he came to Wabash township, though his
parents came one year previous. Like his father he was
reared a farmer, which has always been his occupation,
although to some extent he has been engaged in boating on
the rivers between here and New Orleans. Feb. 9, 1836,
he married Miss Matilda daughter of Mr. Isaac and
Elizabeth (Kiger) Hunter. She was born in Ohio,
but came to Parke county when about four years old.
They have nine children living: Caroline, Elizabeth J.,
John, Mary, Barbara A., Susan, Nancy, Rufus, and
Charlie. Mr. White's father died on the old
farm in 1874, and his mother is still living and is
eighty-five years old. Mrs. White's parents
came to this county far back in its early history. Her
mother died in the old fort where they were forced to
retreat for protection from the savage redmen who then held
possession of the surrounding country. Her father was
drowned on the bottoms about sixty years ago, while
assisting a neighbor in driving some cattle from a small
island to the mainland, during an overflow of the Wabash
river. While swimming his horse through some
drift-wood, he tipped, lost his balance, got under the
drift, and was not found till the water went down. |
| NOTES:
* Laverty & Justice are related to me (Sharon Wick)
|
|
