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BIOGRAPHICAL
H. Chamberlain,
farmer, Seeleyville, is a native of Vigo
county, born in Harrison township in 1821. His parents
were among the early settlers of the county. His
father, Moody Chamberlain, was a native of New
Hampshire; born Nov. 3, 1791. In 1820 he was married
to Miss B. Dole, also a native of New Hampshire, born
in 1795, and in 1820 they came to Vigo county, where they
took an active part in improving a part of the land now
owned by his son. Mr. Chamber-
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lain served as associate judge for some time. He
continued to reside in the county until his death, which
occurred in 1862. Mrs. Chamberlain died in
about 1868. The subject of this sketch now resides on
the old homestead, where he has resided for many years.
In 1853 he was married to Miss Mary E. Dickerson,
daughter of John Dickerson, and they have a family of
three children: Volney C., Imogen, and
Fredric.
Alexander Cooper,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Blount
county, Tennessee, in 1817, and came with his parents to
Sullivan county, Indiana, in 1823. In 1824 he came to
Vigo county and settled in Riley township, where his parents
remained until their deaths; his father, James, dying
in 1855, and his mother, Mary Werr, in the same year.
Mr. Cooper lived at home until after his marriage to
Miss Elizabeth McGriff, which occurred in 1842.
In 1843 he became a resident of Lost Creek township, where
he has lived ever since. He owns a farm of 120 acres,
on which he has made most of the improvements. He has
accumulated his property by hard work and by the help of a
self-denying wife. Mr. Cooper served two terms
as county surveyor. He is a member of the Christian
church.
O. B. Soules,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Vigo county,
Indiana, July 21, 1826. His occupation has been that
of a farmer, and by strict attention to his business he now
owns 557 acres of fine improved land. He served in the
late rebellion in the 149th Ind. Vol. Inf. His father
came to the county in about 1816, and had to live at Fort
Harrison at different periods on account of the Indians, who
were hostile at that time. In 1854 Mr.
Soules was married to F. F. Watkins, daughter of
William Watkins. He had been previously
married to Ann Hussey in 1851, but she died in 1853.
Mr. Soules has lived an honest life, and is respected
by all who know him.
Warren Soules,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Vigo county,
Indiana, Oct. 7, 1828, and is the son of William and
Almira (Baker) Soules, who were natives of York state.
They came to Vigo county in an early day, and settled in
Harrison township in about the year 1816 or 1817, where they
resided until their deaths. Warren Soules has
been a resident of the county all his life, and has been
engaged in farming. At present he is the owner of a
fine farm consisting of 365 acres, most of which he has
earned by hard work and good financiering. He served
three months in the late rebellion in the 33d reg. Ind. Vol.
Inf. In 1866 he married Sarah McFadden, who was
born in Terre Haute in 1830. She is the daughter of
Malcom and Elizabeth (Dickerson) McFadden, who were
natives of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They came to this
county in an early day, and resided until their deaths,
Mr. McFadden dying in 1860 and Mrs. McFadden in
about 1857.
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H.
Roberts, farmer, Burnett, was born
in North Carolina in 1810, and came to Monroe county with
his parents when sixteen years of age, thence to Vigo county
in 1828. He at once became a resident of Lost Creek
township, and began working at home on his father's farm
until he was a man grown. After this he began for
himself, and by hard work he has become the owner of a fine
farm, consisting of 325 acres, on which he has made most of
the improvements. In 1851 he was married to Miss
Nancy Jackson, and they have one son, Thompson,
who resides at home and is engaged in farming.
Reden Roberts,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in North
Carolina, and came to Vigo county with his parents in about
1828. He has been a resident of the county all his
life. In 1872 he married Alvira Bonds. Mr.
Roberts has been a hard-working and energetic man.
He is the owner of a fine farm, consisting of 300 acres, on
which he has made all the improvements. He is
considered a practical farmer. In politics Mr.
Roberts takes sides with the republican party.
C. Eversol,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, in
1814. When he was seven years of age his parents came
to Floyd county, Indiana, and remained about three years,
after which they removed to Vigo county in 1824, and lived
three years. They then returned to Floyd county again,
and in 1828 came to Vigo county, where Mr. Eversol
has lived ever since. He now owns 120 acres of land,
forty acres of which he entered. There were only three
acres cleared, and the rest he has done himself. In
1841 he was married to Miss Nancy Latty, a native of
Owen county, Indiana. They have five children, three
sons and two daughters: Jane E., Joseph, Jacob, John W.
and Emma D. Mr. Eversol got his
start by working for $5 per month, and taking part in store
pay.
Dixon Stewart,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Wake county,
North Carolina, in 1801, and came to Monroe county, Indiana,
in 1827. From there he came to Vigo county in 1829,
and became a resident of Lost Creek township. By
energy and economy he became the owner of 900 acres of land,
which he divided with his children, giving to each of his
sons 100 acres, and to each daughter 75 acres. He has
retained enough to keep him as long as he lives. In
1829 he married Lucinda Roberts, who was born in
North Carolina in 1809. The result of their marriage
has been four sons and four daughters: Elisha,
Nancy, Mary J., Joseph, Julia,
Dixon, Thomas, and Sarah J.
Jeremiah Anderson,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Chattanooga
county, North Carolina, in 1806, and came to Vigo county,
Indiana, in 1832, and located in Lost Creek township.
He first entered forty acres of land and paid government
price. This was his first start, and by
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industry at one time he was the owner of 730 acres of as
fine land as there was in Lost Creek township. But on
account of his age he is unable to manage so much, and he
has divided it with his children. In 1827 he was
married to Rhoda Underwood. She died in
1871, and his second marriage was to Mrs. D. Stewart.
Mr. Anderson has been a member of the Baptist
church for thirty-eight years.
Elisha Stewart,
farmer, Burnett, was born in Monroe county, Indiana,
in 1830, and came to Vigo county in 1832. He has been
a resident of this county and of Lost Creek township ever
since. In July, 1854, he married Emeline
Chavous. She died March 13, 1863, and Dec. 19,
1865, he was married to Elizabeth Waldon, a
native of North Carolina. Mr. Stewart is
a member of the A. F. and A. M., and is a staunch
republican. He has a fine farm, which he has under
good cultivation.
Elisha Baker,
carpenter and farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Woodford
county, Kentucky, in 1824, and came to Vigo county in 1832.
He has been a resident of this county all his life, with the
exception of the time spent in the army. He served in
Co. C, 31st reg. Ind. Vol. Inf, and in the 6th Cav. He
participated in all the battles in which the 6th Cavalry was
engaged, and after the war he returned to Vigo county, where
he has remained ever since. He has been engaged in the
building of houses, barns, etc. In 1846 he was married
to Eliza McMullen, and she died in 1864.
Joseph Watson,
farmer, Cloverland, Clay county, is the son of James
Watson, who was a native of Tennessee, born in 1806. James
Watson, when a young man, came to Kentucky, where he
remained about fifteen years, then came to Vigo county in
1832, and settled in Lost Creek township, on the farm where
his son Joseph now lives. Here he continued to
reside until his death, which occurred Sept. 20, 1878.
His wife, formerly Miss P. Thompson, was a native of
Kentucky, and died in this county. Their family
consisted of seven children: Nancy, wife of J.
McHenry; Richard, now deceased; Franklin,
living in Missouri; Eliza, John, who is now in
Iowa, James, and Joseph.
Moody
Chamberlain, blacksmith,
Seelyville, was born in Lost Creek township, Vigo county,
Indiana, July 16, 1882. At eighteen years of age he
went to Clinton, Indiana, and served an apprenticeship at
the blacksmith trade, and after working a short time in
Terre Haute, in 1853 he built a shop, where he now carries
on his present business. He began business for
himself, and by strict attention to his business has built
up a trade equal to any in the country. In 1856 he was
married to Miss Martha Clark, a native of Hamilton
county, Ohio, and by
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their marriage they have five children, two sons and three
daughters: Ida M., Edwin C., Corrinna, Harvey R.
and Jennie.
Peter Hughes,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Ireland in 1815, and when a
young man came to Kingston, Canada, where he served an
apprenticeship at the stone-cutter's trade. After
completing his trade he came to Buffalo, New York, where he
worked some time, after which he came to Fort Wayne,
Indiana, thence to New Orleans, and in 1833 he came to Vigo
county, Indiana, where he has continued to reside ever
since. He has spent the most of his time in farming,
and by never-tiring industry he has become the owner of a
handsome farm and everything to make life comfortable.
Mar. 24, 1839, he was married to Ellen Dickerson,
a native of Butler county, Ohio. She was born in 1824
and came to this county in 1830. They have six sons
and four daughters: Sarah E., Rachel E., George W., James
J., Levi G., John H., Peter E., Lourella T., Martha J. and
Stephen C.
G. W. G.
Sparks, farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Jefferson
county, Kentucky, in 1820, and when he was fifteen years of
age his parents removed to Vigo county and settled in Lost
Creek township. Mr. Sparks has been a
citizen of Vigo county ever since. His parents
subsequently removed to Illinois, where they lived until
their deaths, his father dying in about 1876 and his mother
in about 1879. They were natives of Kentucky. In
1840 Mr. G. W. G. Sparks was joined in marriage to
Miss Sallie Hodges, daughter of John and Alley Hodges.
Mr. Sparks began in life a poor boy, but by hard work
and economy he has come in possession of a fine farm of 114
acres. He has been a member of the Baptist church for
thirty-seven years and his wife for thirty-nine years.
L. W.
Dickerson, farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Vigo county,
Indiana, in 1835. His father, Samuel
Dickerson, was among the early settlers of the county,
and was connected with the construction of the canal and
other public works in an early day. L. W.
Dickerson's pursuits in life have been in the
agricultural line. He is honest and up right in all
his dealings, and respected by all who know him. He
has been twice married. In 1859 he was married to
Miss Carrie Wise, a native of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. She died in 1864, and his second
marriage was to Miss S. A. Ferrel, a native of
Sullivan county, Indiana. He is the father of one
child by his former and one by his present wife.
J. M. Harper,
farmer, Round House, was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, July
19, 1816, and in 1835 came to Vigo county, and for two years
worked at drilling in a stone quarry for the government.
The rock was used for the construction of the National Road.
In this way
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he got a little ready money, with which he entered eighty
acres of land
and built a cabin in the woods and began to try to make a
living.
Merchandise was then high; salt was worth $7 a barrel. Mr.
Harper has been an industrious man, and at the present time has
comfortably
situated himself. In about 1838 he was married to Miss Eliza
Wyeth,
daughter of E. Wyeth, who was an early settler of the
county. By
their happy marriage they have six children: William G., who
served
in the army three years in the 43d reg. Ind. Vol. Inf.; Amy
A., Catharine,
wife of N. Beener during her life; Maria, wife of
H. Turner;
Sarah E., wife of M. Hide; and Indiana, wife of
F. Butt. Mr.
Harper is a
member of the A. F. and A. M., Riley Lodge, No. 390.
Peter Collins,
farmer, Riley, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1799, and at thirteen years of age his parents
removed to
Warren county, Ohio, where Mr. Collins remained for some
time, working at the wagon-maker's trade. Mar. 29, 1820, he was
married to Miss Sarah Miller, a native of Hamilton county, Ohio, born
June 10,
1806. In 1836 they removed to Vigo county and settled in
Lost Creek
township, where he entered forty, and bought eighty, acres
of land,
and began improving. There being but little money with which
to
transact business, Mr. Collins would work at wagon-making to
pay the
men to build his present house. Mr. Collins is now in his
eighty
second year, and after a life spent in hard work, and all
the privations
of a new country, he has the appearance of a man not over
sixty. His
wife lived to see her children develop into manhood and
womanhood.
She departed this life Apr. 29, 1879, having had eleven
children, of
whom eight are now living: Josephus, Rebecca, wife of
Alex.
Rowan; Thomas, Hannah, wife of W. Light;
Mary J., wife of B. Hulburd; Morton L., Sarah S., wife of
L. Roberts, and Austin M. The
dead were John, William and Lewis.
Austin served in the late
rebellion, in the
85th reg. and in the 149th Ind. ol. Inf.
Samuel Molone,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Dinwiddie county,
Virginia, July 25, 1800, where he remained until he was
twenty-one
years of age. In about 1821 he removed to North Carolina,
where he
remained until he came to Vigo county, in 1837, and settled
in Lost
Creek township. By hard work and economy he has become the
owner
of a fine farm of 180 acres, which he took in the timber,
and on which
he made all the improvements. In 1827 he was married to
Miss
E.
Strayhorne, a native of North Carolina, now deceased. Mr. Molone
has been liberal to all enterprises that have been
beneficial to the community in which he lives.
W. B. Dickerson, farmer,
Seelyville, was born in Butler county, Ohio, Jan. 26, 1821.
At the age of seventeen or eighteen his
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parents came to Lost Creek township, Vigo county, and
settled on the
National Road seven miles east of Terre Haute. His father,
John
Dickerson, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in
1791, and in
1819 was married to Rhoda Holland, a native of Jackson
county, Georgia, born in 1800. She now resides in the county, and
her husband departed this life Jan. 3, 1878. W. B.
Dickerson,
the subject
of this sketch, has been a hard-working and enterprising
man, always
willing to take part in everything pertaining to the
interest of the community in which he lives. In political affairs he is always
foremost in
behalf of the republican party. In 1846 he was married to
Miss Phoebe
Dickerson, daughter of Samuel Dickerson. She has been a
faithful
wife and kind mother to her three children, two daughters
and one son: Rachel A., now wife of J. T. Reynolds;
Martha E., wife of J.
S.
Tiley; and Samuel A., who is at home. Mr.
Dickerson has
served the
people of his township as justice of the peace for about
eight years,
and being of a social turn has gained many friends in the
community
in which he resides.
James Dailey,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Parke county, Indiana, in 1838. His father,
Benjamin, was a native of Butler
county,
Ohio, and came to Parke county in about 1828 and settled in
Florida
township, and was one of the early settlers of that
township. Here he
continued to live until his death, which occurred in 1863.
His wife, Catharine Redon, is a native of Ohio, and now lives at the
old home
stead. James Dailey resided for many years at home in Parke
county,
where he worked on the farm. In 1870 he became a resident of
Vigo
county. In 1859 he was married to Miss Zerelda Kerr, a
native of Parke
county. She died in 1864, and he was married to her sister,
Arminta
Kerr. They were the daughters of James Kerr, who came to
Parke
county in 1818, where he resided until his death, which
occurred in
1876. He took an active part in the war of 1812,
particularly in the
battle of the Thames. In 1840 he was elected to the
legislature, and
was afterward elected five consecutive terms. Mr.
Dailey has
three
children by his former wife: John O., Carrie E., and
Ella,
and two by
his present wife: James T. and Katie. Mr.
Dailey is a member
of the
A. F. and A. M., Riley Lodge, No. 390. He is also a member
of the
Christian church.
S. S. Ripley,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Vigo county, Indiana, Dec. 19, 1841. His father,
Joseph Ripley, was a
native of
Ohio, born in 1818, and came to Vigo county about 1823, and
settled
within half a mile of where S. S. Ripley now resides. He
continued
to live in the county until his death, which occurred
Nov. 22,
1866. His wife was born in 1816, and died in this county in
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1862. The subject of this sketch was in the late
rebellion three years, in the 4th Cavalry, and was all
through the Atlanta campaign and Wilson's raid.
After serving his country faithfully for three years he
returned to his birthplace and engaged in farming. In
1867 he married Miss Rachel Hughes, daughter of
Peter Hughes, who was one of the early settlers
of this county. Mr. Ripley is a member
of the A. F. and A. M., and his political views are in favor
of the republican party.
Alexander
Rowan, farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Hamilton
county, Ohio, July 14, 1821, where he served an
apprenticeship at the
blacksmith trade, beginning when seventeen years of age, and
completing at twenty-one. At that age he made up his mind to
come west.
He started on foot, and walked from Cincinnati, Ohio, to
where he now
resides, in Lost Creek township, where he arrived in 1842
with only
$5 in money. Soon after this he began his former occupation,
and after working hard for two years bought eighty acres of
land,
which is his present home, and by industry and economy he
has accumulated all of which he is now the possessor. In 1847 he was
married to Miss Rebecca Collins, daughter of
Peter Collins. They have
one
daughter, Sarah B., and one deceased, James M.
J. H. Scofield,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Warren county,
Ohio, in 1814, where he remained until 1842, at which time
he came to
Vigo county and settled in Lost Creek township. He bought
sixty
nine acres of unimproved land, which he has not only
improved, but
by hard work has added to it until he has a fine farm of 184
acres, all
under a good state of cultivation. He began without
anything but a
good constitution and a practical knowledge of how to work.
He has
been twice married, first in 1836 to Miss Mary A. Turner, a
native of
Warren county, Ohio. She died in 1864, and his second
marriage was
to R. Dubre, formerly Rachel Dickerson, daughter of
Samuel
Dickerson, who was an early settler of the county.
Mr. Scofield
became the
father of five sons and one daughter by his former wife:
Melissa, wife
of C. Atmore, Allison, Corwin B., now deceased,
Constantine, who
served in the rebellion and came home and died, Joseph H., who
served in the war, and Fremont. He is the parent of two
children by
his present wife: Charles L. and Levi W.
Elza Jones,
proprietor of saw-mill, and farmer, Terre Haute, was born in
Henry county, Kentucky, in 1829; and when one year old his
parents removed to Montgomery county, Indiana, thence to
Sullivan county, where Mr. Jones remained until 1842.
He engaged there in agricultural pursuits, and after
spending one year on the Mississippi river, steamboating
between Cincinnati and New Orleans.
W. R. Jeffers
(portrait)
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1843 he came to Vigo county, and began working in a
saw-mill. Since that he has been the owner of six or
seven mills, and has been quite extensively engaged in the
manufacture of lumber. When he
began in life for himself he began poor, but by industry and
a strict attention to business, he has comfortably situated
himself, and is the owner of a good farm consisting of 160
acres, and a saw-mill within six miles of Terre Haute.
In 1850 he married Harriet Wilgus, daughter of
R. Wilgus, who was an early settler of this county.
Mr. Jones has been a member of the New Light
church for many years, and for several years past he has
been an ordained preacher of that denomination; he once
preached for a number of years.
H. C. Dickerson, farmer,
Seelyville, was born in Vigo county, Indiana, in 1844.
He served in the rebellion in Co. E, 133d reg. Ind. Vol. Inf,
and has been a resident of the county all his life. He
was married in 1871, and has a family of three children:
Rosco, Raleigh and George W. Mr.
Dickerson, in connection with his farm, keeps a
country store, and by not having the rent to pay that they
do in the city, he is able to compete with them in prices.
By his courteous treatment of his many costomers, he
has not only established a good trade, but has gained many
friends. He is a member of the Terre Haute Lodge, No.
51, I. O. O. F., and in politics he is a republican.
Joseph Ripley, farmer,
Terre Haute, was born in Vigo county, Indiana, in 1845, and
has been a resident of this county all his life. In
the late war he enlisted, in 1863, in the 11th Cav., 126th
reg., Co. B, and served until the close of the war. He
was all through Wilson's campaign, and Hood's
raid, participating in a great many skirmishes, and was at
the fifteen days’ fight at Nashville. After the close
of the war he went to Kansas, where he was stationed on the
Sante Fe stage road, to guard the road against the
Indians. He subsequently returned to Vigo county, and
engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1866 he was
married to Miss Rachel C. Coart, who was born in Vigo
county, in 1848.
J. W. Moore, farmer, Cloverland,
was born in Highland county, Ohio, Sept. 16, 1823. In
1837 he came with his uncle to Clay county, where he lived
until he became of age. After serving an
apprenticeship at the blacksmith and wagon-maker's trade, in
1847 he built a shop close to Cloverland, on the National
Road, where he carried on business for some time. In
1853 he removed to his farm, where he now lives, and he has
carried on his former occupation in connection with farming.
When he began for himself he had not a dollar, but by
industry and economy he is now the possessor of a fine farm
consisting of 240 acres. Being a natural genius, he
has
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had his buildings all arranged so that they are convenient
and handy. He has also built a fine fishery, which in time
will add much to the value of his farm. Mar. 23, 1847, he
took a life partner, his choice being Miss Mary
A. Jarvis, daughter of James Jarvis,
and the issue of their long and happy union is four sons and
one daughter: Joseph F., Elvis, Mason, George W. and
Clara A. Mr. Moore has long been
a member of the Christian church, and in politics is a
staunch democrat.
Nelson Palmer, farmer,
Terre Haute, was born in Vigo county, Indiana, Jan. 16,
1847, and at the breaking out of the late rebellion was one
of the first to respond to the call for volunteers. He
enlisted in 1861 in Co. B, 31st Ind. Vol. Inf, and served
until 1866. He participated in many of the prominent
battles: Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Chickamauga, Stone River,
Lookout Mountain, Buzzard Roost, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta,
Jonesboro, where he was wounded, Franklin, and the last
battle of Nashville. His regiment then went to
Huntsville, Alabama, and it was under fire every day.
After the close of the war Mr. Palmer went to
Texas and did provost duty until 1866, after which he
returned home to Vigo county, and since then has been
engaged in farming. In 1868 he married Miss
Mary Myers, a native of this county, and the
issue is three sons and two daughters. His father
served in the rebellion, in the 6th cavalry, and died at
Franklin, Tennessee. One of Mr. Palmer's
brothers went out in the 31st Ind. Vol. Inf, and was killed
at Buzzard Roost, May 11, 1864.
The
Swalls family are among
the early settlers of Vigo county. David
Swalls was born in 1799, and was married in 1838 to
Miss Catharine Muncie, who was born in 1809.
They came to Vigo county in an early day, where they
continued to reside as one of the respectable families until
their deaths, Mr. Swalls dying in 1853 and
Mrs. Swalls in 1874. C. B. and P. N.
Swalls have purchased the old homestead where their
father resided for forty-seven years. They are both
hard-working young men, and have quite materially improved
the farm, and have it under a good state of cultivation.
William Roberts,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in New York
city Jan. 31, 1810, and when a boy his parents removed to
Warren county, Ohio, where Mr. Roberts grew to be a
man. In 1841 he took a life partner, his choice being
Miss P. J. Stephenson, a native of Butler county,
Ohio. In 1847 they moved to Vigo county, Indiana, to seek a
home in the then wilderness of Lost Creek township, where he
had previously purchased eighty acres of land. At
present anyone passing his farm would scarcely think that it
was once a forest, there being but three acres partly
cleared when he came in possession of it.
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His family consists of seven children: La Fayette, Lear,
Levina, Louisa J., Alonzo, Benjamin, Anthony, and
Benton.
Alex McPherson,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Scotland in 1816, and at
three years of age his father and stepmother started to
America. His father died on the way with the yellow
fever, and he and his stepmother came to Ohio, and soon
after young Alexander was sent back to Scotland,
where he remained until 1835. At this date, he came to
Canada and thence to Vigo county, which has been his home
since 1848. In 1873 he opened a coal mine on his farm,
and it has proved to be of the very best quality. In
course of time it will add much to the value of his farm.
In 1849 he was married to Elizabeth Winningham.
William H. Alvis, farmer, Terre
Haute, was born in Vigo county, where he has lived all his
life. His parents came to the county in an early day
and located in Lost Creek township, where they were among
the pioneers. They continued to reside in the county until
their deaths, but on account of not having important dates
the writer is unable to give the particulars.
J. G. Hamilton, farmer, Stanton,
is a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania. When
he was three years of age his parents came to Warren county,
Ohio. He learned the shoemaker's trade and his life
was spent in that occupation, more or less, until he came to
Vigo county in 1851. He became one of the farmers of
Lost Creek township, where he has continued to reside.
He began without any aid, but by never-tiring industry he is
the owner of 208 acres of fine improved lands in Vigo and
Clay counties. In 1840 he was married to Miss
Louisa Thurston, a native of Warren county, Ohio.
They have eleven children: Elizabeth, now wife of
W. Miller; Otha, James, Frank,
Lemuel, Eliza, wife of T. Green;
Chauncey, Fred, Grant, Charley and
Cora. Otha, James and Frank
served in the late war. Mr. Hamilton is
a member of the A. F. and A. M., Riley Lodge, No. 390.
F. W. Felling, farmer,
Terre Haute, was born in Germany in 1818, and came to Vigo
county in about 1853 and became one of the prominent farmers
of Lost Creek township. He was married to Miss
Augusta Mattis, a native of Germany, and they have
raised a respectable family of five children. Fredric
H., born in this country, 1856, Aaron L., born in
1859, Clemnes in 1863, Henry in 1869 and
Charles in 1871. Mr. Felling has by
industry and economy become the owner of a fine farm located
within seven miles of Terre Haute,
Alexander
Thomas, farmer, Terre Haute, was
born in Coshocton county, Ohio, in 1829, and at seventeen
years of age he served an apprenticeship in the blacksmith
trade. After learning the trade he
[Page 402] -
followed the business in his native county until he was
twenty-five years of age. After coming to Terre Haute,
Indiana, Apr. 28, 1854, he followed a farmer's occupation
for a number of years. In 1865 he was elected city
marshal of Terre Haute, which office he faithfully filled
for two years, and gained the respect of his fellow
citizens. In 1871 he was elected mayor of the city,
which office he filled until 1875. By his meritorious
conduct he won a wide circle of friends in the city and
surrounding country. In 1878 he moved on his present
farm and began agricultural pursuits. In 1856 he was
married to Miss Hannah L. Eddy, a native of New
Hampshire. He is a member of the A. F. and A. M.,
Terre Haute Lodge, No. 19. Also a member of the
A.O.U.W.
C. H. Dannels,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Salem
county, New Jersey, in 1813. The early part of his
life was spent as a sailor and fisherman, which he began at
fourteen years of age, and followed until twenty-four years
of age. Afterward he came west and located in Union
county, Indiana, to which he brought the first threshing
machine that was in that part of the country. He
always advocated the cause of education, and has taken an
active part in the building of school. houses and
establishing schools in the community in which he has
resided. After remaining in Union county for some time
he came to Vigo county and located in Lost Creek township,
where he has been quite extensively engaged in farming.
When he began for himself he was a poor boy, but by economy
and industry, step by step he has accumulated a handsome
property of 200 acres of land, located seven miles east of
Terre Haute, and has provided each of his children with a
good farm. He has long been a member of the Methodist
Episcopal church. He has been twice married. His
first wife was Sarah Nelson, to whom he was
united in 1840. After her death he was married to
Melinda Willis, in 1860, daughter of John
Willis. She was born in Union county, Indiana, in
1815.
Isaac Myers,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Dauphin
county, Pennsylvania, July 4, 1824. He served an
apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade in his native
county, and in 1849 he came to Indianapolis, Indiana, and
thence to Paris, Illinois, and in 1859 came to Vigo county,
where has since resided. He has been engaged in
farming and working at his trade. Mr. Myers
has built five of the school-houses in Lost Creek township
and three in Riley township. He has been always active
in enterprises beneficial to the community in which he
resides. He has been on the board of the agricultural
Society for the past few years. What property he
possesses he has made by hard work.
Joseph Thompson,
farmer, Terre Haute, was born in Richmond,
[Page 403] -
Yorkshire England, in 1846. He emigrated to
America in 1968, and located in Terre Haute, where he worked
as a puddler for eleven years. He afterward
purchased his present farm and located in Lost Creek
township, where he is engaged in the agricultural pursuits.
In 1869 he was married to Miss B. C . Stanton, a
native of Vigo county. She is the daughter of John
and Mary Stanton, who were early settlers of the county.
Mr. Thompson is the father of five children:
William, Mary, Elizabeth, John and Annie.
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