Biography of John Sargent

John Sargent, farmer; P. O. Hutton; was born in this township March 20, 1846; his father, Stephen, was born in Candia, N. H., July, 1, 1797, and at the age of 13 went to New Jersey, remaining there three years, and from there traveled on foot to Ohio, working one year upon a farm in that State; he then went to Kentucky, near the city of Louisville, working at tine trade of stone-mason, and while there made a trip upon a flatboat from Louisville to New Orleans and back. In the year 1836 he came to New Richmond (now Westfield), … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry Bell

Henry Bell, farmer; P. O. Hutton; was born in Randolph Co., N. C., in the year 1819; his parents Pierce and Rebecca moved to Preble Co., Ohio., in the year 1820, and after remaining about fifteen years, moved to Rush Co., Ind., where they lived for about fifteen or twenty years; in 1850, they came to Coles Co. and settled on Sect 16, where his father died at the age of 88, his mother dying the year afterward. Mr. Bell moved to his present farm on Sec. 15 Feb. 14, 1856, containing 80 acres. In 1843, he married in Indiana … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Elias Anderson

Elias Anderson, farmer; P. O. Diona; is a native of Ohio, and was born in Champaign Co. June 16, 1807; he remained with his parents until he was 32 years of age, his father having died about the year 1833; he remained with his mother until her removal to Michigan, where she died in the year 1844; Mr. Anderson, before his removal to this county, married, Sept. 20, 1835, Miss Hannah Place, her parents being natives of Pennsylvania; in the year 1839, they came to this county and settled where he has ever since resided; they had five children, four … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Gossett

William Gossett, farmer; P. O. Hutton; was born in this township June 3, 1850; he lived with his parents up to the age of 24, assisting them in farming, and teaching school for four winter terms, two of them in the northeast part of the township on Sec. 22, and two on Sec. 14. While at home, he married Miss Martha Ingram (daughter of Arthur Ingram, of Hutton Tp.), April 16, 1874; she was born Jan. 9, 1855; they had two children, one living – Elizabeth J., born Aug. 11, 1875, and one deceased-Jesse L., born Aug. 8, 1877, and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ezekiel Gilbert

Ezekiel Gilbert, farmer; P. O. Charleston; was born in Lawrence Co., Ind., Nov. 20, 1828; in the year 1830, his parents, Simon and Elizabeth Gilbert, who were natives of Kentucky, moved to Vermilion Co., Ill., and in 1838, came to Coles Co., and settled on the farm now occupied by Joshua Johns, on Sec. 9, and six years afterward moved to the farm on Sec. 7, where their son Ezekiel now resides; Mr. Gilbert lived with them up to the time of their death. He married Oct. 28, 1847, Miss Nancy, H. Stone, daughter of Stephen Stone, a native of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of D. A. Parker

D. A. Parker, farmer; P. O. Westfield, Clark Co.; is one of the pioneers of this county, and was born in Butler Co., Ohio, April 27, 1815; in the year 1817, his parents moved to Crawford Co., Ill., ten miles south of Palestine, and, after remaining there eight years, moved to Hutton Tp., Coles Co., and settled on what was afterward known as ” Parker Prairie,” in the year 1825, where his parents died, , his mother on the 11th day of December, 1830, and his father on the 18th day of March, 1862; they were among the first settlers, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Solomon Brandenburg

Solomon Brandenburg, farmer; P. O. Hutton; is the fifth son of Solomon B. Brandenburg, one of the early settlers of this county, and was born in Hutton Tp. Sept. 3, 1830; at the age of 19 he went to Wisconsin and engaged in hauling lead with his brothers C. P. and Wm. H., during the summer, for nine years; in the year 1858, he purchased the farm upon which he now resides, on Sec. 13. He married Mrs. Sallie Smith (daughter of James Cox and widow of George Smith), Feb. 5, 1850; they had seven children, five living – Ford, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jephthah Parker

Jephthah Parker, farmer; P.O. Westfield, Clark Co.; was born in Crawford Co., Ill., Feb. 13, 1823; he was 3 years of age when he came with his parents to Coles Co., and remained with them until his marriage with Miss Sarah J. Green, daughter of James Green, of Ohio, on the 11th day of May, 1842; she was born in Miami Co., Ohio, July 3, 1818. About nine months after their marriage, Mr. Parker moved to his farm on Sec. 6, the greater portion of which he improved, putting upon it its present buildings, and where he has ever since … Read more

Biography of Daniel Evinger

Daniel Evinger, farmer, carpenter and millwright; P. O. Westfield; is a native of Ohio, having been born in Hamilton Co., of that State, Sept. 10, 1820. In November, 1831, when he was 11 years of age, his parents moved to Coles Co., and settled upon Sec. 19, Hutton Tp., where Mr. Daniel Evinger now resides. His parents died upon the homestead, his father in the year 1835, his mother in the year 1855. His father carried on the business of carpenter and millwright, and was also a minister of the United Brethren Church in Hamilton Co., Ohio. After coming to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. W. Dallas

J. W. Dallas, farmer; P. O. Westfield; was born in Hutton Tp., Coles Co., Jan. 16, 1849; his parents, Hiram and Sarah, were natives of Ohio, and, in the year 1839, came to Coles Co.; in the spring of 1840, they moved to Clark Co., where, after remaining five years, again returned to Hutton Tp., of this county, and settled on Sec. 35, where they lived up to the time of the death of Mr. Dallas, which occurred March 5, 1878; the subject of this sketch was born on the homestead, where he still resides, containing 120 acres, his mother … Read more

Biography of Richard O. Wells

Richard O. Wells, farmer; P. O. Westfield; was born in Bourbon Co., Ky., Dec. 29, 1809; he remained there with his parents until he was 25 years of age assisting on the farm; his father died there in the year 1835; his mother surviving him until the year 1860. Mr. Wells, while at home in Kentucky was married August, 1831, to Miss Jenette Boston (daughter of William Boston of Kentucky); she was born July 15, 1815; shortly after his marriage, he moved upon a farm near that of his father’s, where he lived until his removal to Clark Co., in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William H. Brandenburg

William H. Brandenburg, farmer; P. O. Hutton; was born in Clay Co., Ind., Oct. 19, 1824, and came to this county with his parents at 4 years of age, and remained with them up to the age of 17, when he went to Wisconsin, working upon a farm for two years, then returned to his parents’ home, and, making up a team, returned to Wisconsin, and was engaged in hauling lead for nine years; in 1852, he returned to Hutton Tp. and worked out for two years, when he settled upon the farm on Sec. 13, which he had purchased; … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Edmund Rennels

Edmund Rennels, farmer; P. O. Charleston; is the second son of James Rennels, and was born in Lawrence Co., Ind., Dec. 13, 1829. He came with his parents to Coles Co., when he was only 3 years of age, and remained with them up to his marriage with Miss Martha Waltrip, of Hutton Tp., Feb. 21, 1849, when he moved to his farm on Sec. 31, where he has resided ever since. His wife died in September, 1854. They had three children, one living Mary Ann (now Mrs. James Stephens, of Charleston Tp.), and two deceased-Sarah E. and Melvina J. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. B. Flenner

J. B. Flenner, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Westfield; was born in Butler Co., Ohio, Nov. 18, 1829; up to the age of 24, he remained engaged in farming with his parents; in 1853, they started West, stopping in Clark Co. for five years, when they moved to Coles Co., reaching here in August, 1858, and settled on a farm in Sec. 30, Hutton Tp., near “Otterbein Cemetery,” where his mother died Aug. 1, 1859; shortly after, Mr. Flenner settled upon the farm where he now resides, his father, since the death of his mother, residing with him; his farm … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin McMorris

Benjamin McMorris, farmer; P. O. Hutton; was born in Loudoun Co., Va., March 25, 1813; his parents moved to Frederick Co., Va., when he was a year old; his father died in the year 1818, and Mr. McMorris lived with his mother until he was 21 years of age, when they moved to Coshocton Co., Ohio; six years after, his mother returned to Virginia and died there in the year 1852. In the spring of 1836, Mr. McMorris married Rachel McLaughlin, and, three years afterward, moved to Coles Co., and settled in Sec. 9, Hutton Township, where he at present … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. S. Garner, M. D.

J. S. Garner, M. D., Salisbury; was born in Russell Co., Ky., Oct. 14, 1831; at the age of 18, he went to Lancaster, Garrard Co., Ky., where he studied medicine in the office of J. S. Pierce, M. D., for three years; after which, he attended a course of lectures in Louisville, Ky., and commenced the practice of medicine in Wayne Co., Ky., and continued there up to the year 1863, when, having recruited. Co. K, 48th Regt. Ky. Vols., was elected its First Lieutenant, and, having served for eighteen months in our late civil war, moved to Salisbury, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Franklin Johns

Franklin Johns, farmer; P. O. Hutton; was born in Pendleton Co., Va., June 6, 1828; when he was 7 years old, his parents moved to Gallia Co., Ohio, and remained there three years, and in the year 1838, came to Coles Co., and the first winter settled on Sec. 33, where they lived up to the time of their death, his mother dying May 2, 1854, and his father but three days after. The subject of this sketch was married Nov. 22, 1849, to Miss Nancy Connely, daughter of John Connely, of Hutton Tp., on the homestead, and a few … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Elijah Adams

Elijah Adams, farmer; P. O. Diona; was born in Licking Co., Ohio, Oct. 23, 1824; in the year 1838, his parents, John Adams, who was a native of New York, and Susanna Adams, a native of Maryland, moved to Coles Co., and settled on Sec. 17, where the son now resides, having entered the land; both died there, his mother in October, 1877, and his father, June, 1878. The subject of this sketch has always resided in this county with the exception of the years 1850 and 1851, when he was mining and prospecting in California. He has held the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Daniel Weber

Daniel Weber, of the firm of Weber Brothers, bakers and confectioners, Charleston, is a son of Godfrey and Frances (Muller) Weber; he was born in Westfield, May 31, 1854, and came with his parents to Charleston in 1866; he spent a part of his time on his father’s farm in Hutton Tp., and a portion in the store in Charleston, and on the death of his father, in 1877, he, with his brother John, succeeded to the business. He was married April 29, 1878, to Miss Rosa Riegger, of Bloomington, Ill.

Biographical Sketch of C. P. Brandenburg

C. P. Brandenburg, farmer; P. O. Hutton; was born in Clay Co., Ind., Aug. 24, 1828; his parents, Solomon O. and Alezan, were among the first settlers of this county, having settled in the year 1829, on Sec. 14 of Hutton Tp.; his father died in 1861, and his mother went to reside with his brother William H., and died in May, 1875; Mr. Brandenburg lived with his parents up to the age of 17, when he went to Wisconsin and engaged in hauling lead during the summer for eleven seasons, returning to his father’s during the winter months; his … Read more