Montgomery
County, Indiana
Madison Township Bios
Charles W. White, farmer, Linden,
came to Montgomery county with his parents in 1828, and settled in the
west part of Coal Creek township, where they remained till 1833, when
they moved to Madison township. His father, Charles White, was a native
of Maryland, and emigrated to Ohio prior to the war of 1812, where he
remained until his removal to Indiana, where he resided till his death,
which occurred in 1855, in the fifty-sixth year of his age. His mother,
Mary White, died in 1869, aged eighty-one years. Mr. White received no
education outside the pioneer schools. He was married in 1841, at the
age of twenty- three years, to Rachel Crame, daughter of Moses and Mary
A. Crame. She died in 1846, aged twenty-four, leaving two children,
Margaret and Louisa, to mourn her loss. In 1847 he was married a second
time, to Letticia E. Manners, daughter of James and Letticia (Hight)
Manners. By this union there are eight children: James H., Mary,
Martha, Brinson, Lillie, George, and Cara. Mr. White and wife are
prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Linden, and he
served one term as township trustee. In politics he is a radical
republican. He began life poor. His first tax-receipt shows his tax to
amount to $1.25; now he owns a fine farm of 340 acres, situated at
Linden, which is well stocked. Previous to this he dealt in cattle
principally; now he is turning his attention to sheep, believing them
to be the more paying stock. He is a member of the Masonic order, is
sixty-two years of age, and appears much younger than many at the age
of forty, a demonstration that active life and temperate habits in all
things will insure a long and happy life.
T. C. Shanklin, farmer, merchant and
preacher, Linden, is one of Montgomery county's early native pioneers.
His parents, Johnson and Elizabeth Shanklin, settled in Wayne township
previous to 1830, where the subject of this memoir was born in 1831.
His parents were natives of Kentucky, and prior to their settlement in
this county they lived in Laurence county, this state. His maternal
grandfather was killed in the Indian war of the Northwest. His paternal
grandfather was a prominent member of the Presbyterian church at
Crawfordsville, and took a very active part in behalf of the Wabash
College while it was in its infancy. Mr. Shanklin was married, in 1854,
to Mary Hayes, daughter of Edgar and Unas Hayes, both of whom were
natives of New York ; the former was the first to enter the land in
Laurence county, this state. By this union he has one child, John A.,
now married, and lives on his fathers farm of 117 acres and a fraction,
located one mile west of Linden. Mr. Shanklin, like most boys reared in
this country in the first half of the present century, enjoyed but few
educational advantages, but being of a literary turn of mind he
prosecuted these advantages so far as circumstances would permit, and
as a result acquired a fair book education. He and his wife are leading
members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Linden, and since 1858 he
has been local preacher in the church. His political views are purely
republican. During the war he was a member of the Home Guards, and did
service in repelling Morgan from Indiana. He is at present secretary of
the I.O.O.F. at Linden. Mr. Shanklin is a. man who has risen by his own
exertion—a citizen in whom all have explicit confidence. No one is more
ready to give aid to that which will benefit present or future society
by inculcating a more strict regard for the principles of morality and
moral teaching.
George M. Kendall, farmer, Bowers,
came to Sugar Creek township in 1831 with his parents, Eolley and
Elizabeth Kendall; the former was a native of Virginia, the latter of
Kentucky. They settled in Ohio as early as 1814 (the year in which
George was born), in Champaign county, where they remained till their
removal to Montgomery county. George's father died in 1838, aged
forty-nine, his mother in 1871, aged seventy-nine years. His
grandfather, Jesse Kendall, emigrated from England to Virginia, and his
grandfather, George Hendrix, was a native of Virginia, his father
emigrating to America from Germany, and his paternal great-grandmother
was a native of Scotland. The hardships and privations endured by the
early pioneers of Sugar Creek township, Mr. Kendall has not forgotten.
His early education was such as he could get at the pioneer schools
during the few months taught each year; to this he, by self-application
and industry, acquired a good degree of book-knowledge when quite a
young man. He entered the profession of teaching in the common school
shortly after he came to Montgomery county, which he followed twenty
years, and is the oldest surviving teacher of Sugar Creek township. He
was married in 1851 to Sarah Parish, daughter of Mitchell J. and Liddy
Parish, settlers of Montgomery count}1 in 1830. Her father was a native
of Virginia, and served in the war of 1812. Her mother is a native of
Kentucky. Mr. Kendall has by this marriage five children : Mary E.,
Francis M., Eliza J., Sarah M. and Liddy B. He and his wife are members
of the Methodist Episcopal church at Bethel. He has filled every office
in the church belonging to the laity, and several times been
superintendent of the Sabbath-school at the same church. In politics he
is a republican of the first rank. He began life poor, and now has a
farm of ninety-five acres, well improved and well stocked. During the
war he was a member of the Home Guards, and served on the Morgan raid.
For his generosity and integrity he is respected by all.
Mrs. Eva (Kellison) Stout, Linden,
came to Madison township with her parents in 1833, when she was but ten
years old. Her parents, John and Barbara Kellison, were natives of
Virginia, and emigrated to Ohio, where Eva was born, when they were
young. Her mother died in 1853, aged fifty years, and her father now
lives in Iowa, and is eighty-five years old. Miss Eva Kellison was
married in 1843 to Mosley Stoddard, who was born in 1821 and died
leaving her with five children: Orren, Mary C., Elizabeth (deceased),
John D. and Barbara A. Mrs. Stoddard was married a second time, to
Benjamin Stout, in 1857, who died in 1878, aged sixty-seven years,
leaving two children, Mosley S. and Matie. Mrs. Stout and her first
husband were members of the New Light order of Christians, of which she
is still a member. Her second husband was a member of the Methodist
Episcopal church. She lives upon her farm of 60 acres, near Linden,
left by her first husband, and holds her interest in 112 acres left by
her second husband. Her grandfather Kellison came from Ireland. Her
mother's people were originally from Germany. Her son Orren served in
the army in the late war. Mrs. Stout is a devoted Christian, and is
alive to the topics of the present day, and thoroughly republican in
principle. When she came here with her parents the country was a
wilderness which scarcely seemed susceptible of cultivation.
S. H. D. Thompson, farmer and
shipper, Crawfordsville, located in Madison township in 1861, on his
farm of 420 acres, at the station Cherry Grove, and for some time
conducted a saw-mill with success, and at the same time he was engaged
in buying and shipping stock, which he made profitable. He was born in
Montgomery county in 1837. His parents were Nehemia and Nancy Thompson,
both of whom were natives of Ohio, and pioneer settlers. When they
settled in Montgomery county the Indians still lurked in the forest,
and Crawfordsville contained but three cabins. They still reside at
Whitesville, Mr. Thompson received no education outside the common
schools. Through his energy and natural ability he is a success in
business. He was married in 1865 to Nancy E. Kerr, daughter of Joseph
and Eliza Kerr, by whom he has three children : Bellmont A., Ottis O.
and Pearl. In politics he is a democrat, and dislikes the great
excitement that is carried on in political campaigns. His farm is the
best in the southwest part of Madison township. He raises cattle, sheep
and hogs of a good grade. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. at Linden,
Indiana.
W. H. Keeney, physician, Linden, is
a native of Montgomery county, and son of Dr. Henry and Polly (Hughes)
Keeney, who were married in 1832, and have six living children: John,
James, Louisa D., Burhamma, Urial V. and William H. In 1829 Mr.
Keeney's father came from his native state, Kentucky, at the age of
eighteen, and settled in Crawfordsville, where he read medicine, and
began to practice in 1846. Two years after he located in Linden, where
he has since pursued his profession with success, and is the oldest
practicing physician in this section. His paternal grandparents were
James and Caron (Harbott) Keeney, the former being a native of
Kentucky, and the latter of Tennessee. His great-grandfather, Mosses
Keeney, came from Germany at a very early day. Mr. Keeney, in his
boyhood manifested a liking for the study of medicine, which his father
encouraged. For several years he spent most of his time in his favorite
pursuit. In 1872 he graduated at the Old School Medical College,
Indianapolis, with the honors of his class, and is now located in
Linden, practicing in partnership with his father. He is a young man in
his profession, of energy, earnestness and ability. He is a member of
the I.O.O.F. and Masonic orders.
Wilson Hunt, farmer and stock
raiser, Darlington, was born in Ohio in 1837. His parents were Charles
and Mary Hunt; the former was born in New Jersey, and the latter was a
native of Pennsylvania. Mr. Hunt's father first emigrated to
Pennsylvania, where he was married; then to Ohio, Marion county, in
1801, and then to Montgomery county. The subject of this memoir was
married in 1853 to Mary E. Husted, daughter of John Husted, by whom he
has six children : Jane C., William W., Charles N., Henry N., Eleanor,
and Bruce. He is a republican of the first rank. He has a fine stock
farm of 240 acres, well improved, located three miles northwest of
Darlington, in the southeast corner of Madison township. His stock are
of the best quality in the county, and. have repeatedly, for the past
fifteen years, been awarded the first premiums at various fairs. He and
his father were the first to introduce in the county the stock of hogs
known as Poland China, and the same he has spared no pains to improve,
with success. His cattle are of the shorthorn breeds, which he has
greatly improved since their introduction upon his farm. Equally as
much pains has been taken by Mr. Hunt to have upon his farm a good
stock of horses. He has a very fine nag that has lost but one premium
in the past twelve years, and premiums have been awarded to various
other horses exhibited by him. Within the past two years he has
introduced upon his farm a superior quality of Cotswold sheep. No man
in the county has labored more earnestly to improve the stock of the
county than Mr. Hunt. He has fully satisfied himself that investment in
the best breeds is far more lucrative than raising a third or fourth
class of farm stock. On his farm is a pear tree now twenty years old,
which has borne fruit for the past seventeen years. While Mr. Hunt
turns his attention more particularly to the raising of fine stock, he
loses no opportunity to aid in whatever will increase the prosperity of
the country through other channels, and elevate the moral standing of
its people.
J. Q. Peterson, farmer and stock
raiser, Potato Creek, is a son of Silas Peterson, whose biography will
appear in this work. Mr. Peter- eon was born in 1850, and was brought
up to the trade of his sire, farming. He received his education in the
district school, and in the graded school at Stockwell. He was married
in 1878, to Mary Campbell, who, like himself, is a native of Montgomery
county, and is the daughter of Eli and Sophia Campbell, the former a
native of Ohio, and settled in Montgomery county at an early time. By
this union they have one child, Clifford. Mr. Peterson is the possessor
of an excellent farm of 175 acres, located near the west line of Sugar
Creek township, which is in a high state of cultivation, and well
stocked with a good grade of cattle, sheep, and hogs. In politics he is
a democrat, as well as a young farmer with a promising future. He is
energetic and generous, possessing the integrity of his father. He is
at all times ready and willing to aid in whatever will stimulate the
best interests of the country, and advance its prosperity and
intellectual culture.
John M. Miller, farmer and stock
raiser, Linden, emigrated from Dearborn county, Indiana, in 1858, where
he was born in 1829. He is the son of Job and Sarah C. Miller, both
natives of Chester county, Pennsylvania. The former emigrated west with
his father, Thomas Miller Sr., and his grandfather, Joseph Hays, who
had been a captain in the revolutionary war. They settled near North
Bend, Indiana, in 1791. In 1793 they, with several other families,
moved to a tract of land on the Miami river. After the Greenville
treaty, in 1796, Capt. Hays and Thomas Miller and their families moved
into what was afterward the Territory of Indiana, and in 1801 purchased
a tract of land containing 1,000 acres, this being the first land in
Indiana purchased from the government. Job Miller was married to Mrs.
Elizabeth Hays in 1807, by whom he had five children, four daughters
and one son. He was married a second time in 1829, to Mrs. Sarah E.
Morriston, by whom he had three children. He died in 1865, aged
eighty-two years. Elizabeth Hayes was born in 1834, and was the
daughter of Van and Margaret Hayes. The former died in 1847, aged
thirty-five, the latter in 1875, aged eighty-nine. Elizabeth's
grandfather Hays was a native of Pennsylvania. J. M. by this union had
ten children; the living are Van H., Job, Grant, and Thomas. J. M.
Miller and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at
Linden. In politics he is a democrat, and a member of the I.O.O.F. at
Linden. He was trustee of Madison township two terms. Mr. Miller began
life in very limited circumstances; now he owns a good farm of 160
acres, which is fairly improved and stocked. Mr. Miller is one of those
successful farmers who do not wait for some one else to advocate and
try a thing, but act upon their own judgment; hence it is that he has
been the first of his township to lay a tile ditch, first to buy a
reaping machine, and first to introduce many other new things so
valuable to farmers. He carried on business in Linden for some time,
buying grain and stock. At present he is trustee of the Methodist
Episcopal church, and has filled all the offices in the lodge of which
he is a member.
Joseph Galbreath, wagon-maker,
Linden, one of Indiana's native born mechanics, came to Linden in 1858,
where he has since remained. He was bred a farmer, but disliking the
business learned the trade of wagon-making in Fountain county, this
state. His parents, John and Martha Galbreath, emigrated to Wayne
county, where Joseph was born, before Indiana was a state. His father
was a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother of Kentucky, who, after
remaining in Wayne county for some time, moved to Cass county. Mr.
Galbreath settled in Fountain county in 1840, where he remained till he
located in Linden. He was married in 1853, to Louhala Daley, of Preble
county, Ohio, daughter of Edmund and Anna (Emery) Daley, the former a
native of South Carolina, and the latter of New Jersey, and emigrated
to Ohio in 1828. By this union there are nine children: John, Thomas
J., James, Anna, Martha, Mary, Joseph, Samuel, and Edmond. During the
twenty-two years Mr. Galbreath has lived in Linden he has carried on
his business with success. In his shop, and by him, was made the first
wagon in Madison township. He has given employment to from three to
five men for the past fifteen years. His early school education was
limited, but being a close observer he soon became well acquainted with
practical life and business. Mr. Galbreath and wife are devout members
of the Christian church, known as the Reform or Disciples* church, in
which he has held the office of elder for ten years, and officiated as
minister for the past twenty years, and he is also a member of the
ancient order of Masons. His father's family originally came from
northern Ireland. His grandmother was the only survivor of her family,
all of the rest having been massacred in Kentucky by the Indians, she
having escaped by concealing herself under a log. Several times the
blood-thirsty villains passed up and down on that friendly trunk while
she lay crouched beneath it. Mr. Galbreath is respected by all for his
generosity and integrity of character.
Milton H. Harter, farmer, Linden.
The subject of this sketch was born in Tippecanoe county in 1819, and
is the son of Philip and Mary Harter, the former a native of
Pennsylvania, the latter of Ohio. Philip Harter first settled near
Richmond, Indiana, in 1818, and in 1828 he moved near La Fayette and
bought and entered 700 acres of land, thirty acres of which lay in what
is now the heart of the city, this he sold for the sum of $500. He died
in 1875, aged eighty-five years, he and his wife being zealous members
of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Harter was educated in the
common school at Linden. He was married in 1870 to Sarah A. Munford, by
whom he had four children: William, Frank, Kate, and Mattie. Mr. Harter
came to this county in 1860, and was formerly a member of the I.O.O.F.
In politics he is a republican. He lives on the farm belonging to his
mother, located some two miles north of Linden, on the gravel road.
E. P. Washburn, practicing
physician, Linden, is a native of Indiana, born in 1842, and is the son
of William and Jane Washburn, both of whom were natives of Ohio, and
pioneer settlers of Indiana. His grandparents on his father's side were
natives of Kentucky. Dr. Washburn was married in 1860 to Rebecca
Richards. Her parents. John and Susan Richards, are natives of
Pennsylvania, now residents of Fulton, Indiana. By this union he has
five children : Emma J., Newton P., John W., Blanch A. and Bertie H. He
served three years and eleven months in the 46th Ind. Vols., and was
engaged in several of the most important and hotly contested battles of
the war, among which are the following: siege of Vicksburg, New Madrid,
Riddle's Station, St. Charles, Pemberton, Port Gibson, Champion Hills,
siege Jackson, and others. He first was in the infantry, then was
transferred to the mounted infantry, then to the gunboat service, and
then placed on the general's staff. It is remarkable to say he never so
much as received a scratch during his time in the service. He came to
Linden in 1873 and opened a drug store; at the same time he began a
course of medical reading, which he pursued for two years, at which
time he began to practice medicine, having taken one course of lectures
in the Indianapolis Medical College, and graduated with the class of
1881. Dr. Washburn is a self-made man of more than ordinary ability,
which if not prevented by some unseen cause will make Jim be heard in
the ranks of physicians. He now has a good practice, which was not only
gained through the energy he has put forth to place himself in the
ranks of physicians, but for the noble service he rendered his country
in her time of need.
R. S. Miller, practicing physician
and surgeon, Linden, is a native of Wisconsin, born in 1852. His
parents were Jacob and Ann Miller, the former being a native of Ohio,
the latter of Indiana, and were formerly citizens of Montgomery county.
They both died in 1868, the former aged sixty-eight, the latter aged
fifty. Dr. Miller received his literary education at Wabash College,
and Emporia, Kansas. He graduated in the medical profession at the
College of Physicians and Surgeons, Indianapolis, Indiana, with the
class of 1877. He was married in 1872 to Viola D. Watt, of Dwight,
Illinois. Her parents were Simeon and Maria Watt. She received her
education in the schools of Dwight. By this bond he has two children,
Jessie M. and Minie P. He is a member of the Masonic order, of
Crawfordsville. Previous to his location in Linden, in 1879, Dr. Miller
practiced his profession in Crawfordsville with good success. Since his
locating here, considering that he is a young man in the profession,
his success surpassed his own expectations. Dr. Miller is a man who
looks to what he considers his duty to his patrons, and acts
accordingly with energy that bespeaks interest in their behalf. He is a
physician who, in time, will make his own reputation, and wear laurels
of his own gathering.
Source History of
Montgomery County, together with historic notes on the Wabash Valley By
Hiram Williams Beckwith, P. S. Kennedy, Davidson, Thomas Fleming