Lawrence County IN

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

Biography of John W. Burton

John W. Burton was born in Lawrence County, Indiana, November 29, 1842. His father, Eli Burton, is a native of North Carolina, and is now in the seventieth year of his age; his grandfather, John H. Burton, was a native of Virginia. Eli Burton migrated to Indiana, when a young man, bought a farm. on which was a small log house, and there the subject of this sketch was born, and there his father continues to live, but the log cabin has given way to a handsome modern residence, surrounded by the broad acres of a well-improved farm, instead of … 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 R. C. Newland

Mr. & Mrs. R. C. Newland were married March 20, 1856, in Bedford, Indiana, which was also their birth place. Mrs. Newland’s maiden name was Catherine J. Swan and she was born August 17, 1834. Mr. Newland was born Dec. 24, 1836. In 1864, they moved to Galva, Illinois, where they resided until 1881 when they moved to Ida County, Iowa and made their home on a farm near Clarendon. Through the influence of Mrs. B. M. Miller (their daughter) who was born at Galva, Illinois, the name of Clarendon, Iowa, was changed to Galva, Iowa. They had 5 children: … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. J. Foster

J. J. Foster, farming and stock; P. O. Arcola; the subject of this sketch was born in Lawrence Co., Ind., May 18, 1831. He married Miss Catharine Beggs Jan. 31, 1859; she was born in Clarke Co., Ind., May 10, 1838, and died May 14, 1866; they had three children, viz., Eugenia, Sarah M. and Dela J.; his present wife was Miss Melinda C. Beggs; they were married Dec. 18, 1867; she was a sister of his first wife; she was born in Clarke Co., Ind., Sept. 3, 1839; they have three children, viz., Orestes, Claudius B. and Ida C. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of C. P. Davis

C. P. Davis, farmer; P. O. Hutton; was the eldest of nine boys, and was born in Lawrence Co., Ind., Sept. 13, 1829. In 1829, while he was still an infant, his parents, John C. and Elizabeth Davis, moved to what was then Clark Co., and settled in what is now Hutton Tp., of Coles Co., and first having lived in different localities in the township, about the year 1840, settled on Sec. 34, where they lived up to the time of their death, Mr. Davis dying Nov. 30, 1871, Mrs. Davis’ death having occurred January, 1862. Mr. Davis was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James Rennels

James Rennels, farmer; P. O. Charleston; one of the pioneers of this county; was born in Madison Co., Ky., Feb. 12, 1807; when he was 17 years of age, his parents moved to Lawrence Co., Ind., within ten miles of Little Orleans. While living there the subject of this sketch married Nov. 17, 1825, Miss Polly Connely (daughter of Joel Connely, of North Carolina); she was born Feb. 14, 1807; her parents were early settlers of this county, having moved from Lawrence Co., Ind., to Coles Co. in the year 1832. In 1832, Mr. Rennels came to Coles Co. and … Read more

Biography of Joseph Ralph Burton, Hon.

Among the men who have come out of the Hoosier State to aid Kansas in its. real growth and development, there had been no finer man nor better citizen than Hom. Joseph Ralph Burton. Youthful in years as he was in experience when he came to Kansas in 1878, he plunged at once into the heart of affairs and gained ready recognition from the people. Senator Burton had at that time the ability to impress others with his reliability; he gained public confidence; he possessed the power of making people know that his talents were not merely skin deep but … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. H. Paugh, M. D.

W. H. Paugh, M. D., physician and surgeon, Mattoon; was born in Lawrence Co., Ind., March 13, 1838; his father was a physician and settled in Indiana as early as 1815; in addition to his common-school education, he attended the high school at Springville, Ind., and in subsequent years was Principal of the same. He naturally grew up into a physician, and to fix a period at which he began the study of his profession would be a difficult task; he practiced his profession many years before receiving a medical degree; he attended Rush Medical College one session; later, he … Read more

Biography of John Dougherty

Like many of the most prosperous and enterprising citizens of the county of Wallowa, the esteemed subject of this sketch came hither from the eastern part of the United States and here has wrought with the accumulated wisdom of years and experience gained both in that section of the country and in this, while he has ever been dominated by a high sense of the responsibilities of the position of the enlightened citizen and supporter of our free institution, being in his personal demeanor upright, capable, thrifty and patriotic. John Dougherty was born in Lawrence County, Indiana, in 1837, to … Read more

Biography of Samuel J. Crawford

Samuel J. Crawford was one of the first members of the Kansas State Legislature, by service on the field of battle attained the rank of brigadier-general during the Civil war, and was the third governor of the state. He was one of the history makers of early Kansas, and what he did to influence the early political development of Kansas must be told on other pages. Following is a brief sketch of his personal career. He was born in Lawrence County, Indiana, April 10, 1835, grew up on a farm, attended the graded schools of Bedford, Indiana, and the law … Read more

Biography of E. R. Connely

E. R. Connely, farmer; P. O. Westfield; was born in Lawrence Co., Ind., March 6, 1829; his parents, Joel and Effie Connely, came to this county in the spring of 1832, and were among its earliest pioneers; having raised one crop, they returned to Indiana, and, in the fall of same year, brought out their family, consisting of six boys and five girls accompanied also by their grandfather and grandmother Pennington; they made the journey the whole distance in wagons, driving their stock, composed both of sheep and cattle, with them. His grandfather Pennington was a Baptist minister, and among … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mary Crane

Interviewer: Emery Turner Person Interviewed: Mrs. Mary Crane Location: Mitchell, Indiana Place of Residence: Warren St., Mitchell, Ind. Date of Birth: 1855 Mrs. Mary Crane I was born on the farm of Wattie Williams, in 1855 and am eighty-two years old. I came to Mitchell, Indiana, about fifty years ago with my husband, who is now dead and four children and have lived here ever since. I was only a girl, about five or six years old when the Civil War broke out but I can remember very well, happenings of that time. My mother was owned by Wattie Williams, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of G. W. Smith

G. W. Smith, farmer; P. O. Westfield; was born in Pulaski Co., Ky., April 17, 1813; when he was ten years of age his parents moved to Lawrence Co., Ind., and remained there about six years engaged in farming; from there they moved to Vigo Co., Ind., where his parents died. In 1839, Mr. Smith came to Coles Co., and first settled on Sec. 27, in this township, living there until 1863, when he moved to his present farm on Sec. 26, containing 87 acres. He held the office of School Director several terms. He married Miss Eliza Boland (her … Read more

Slave Narrative of Thomas Ash

Interviewer: Emery Turner Person Interviewed: Thomas Ash Location: Mitchell, Indiana Date of Birth: 1856 Age: 81 Emery Turner District #5 Lawrence County Bedford, Indiana I have no way of knowing exactly how old I am, as the old Bible containing a record of my birth was destroyed by fire, many years ago, but I believe I am about eighty-one years old. If so, I must have been born sometime during the year, 1856, four years before the outbreak of the War Between The States. My mother was a slave on the plantation, or farm of Charles Ash, in Anderson county, … Read more

Biography of Andrew Scott

Andrew Scott. A companion of the early days of Shawnee County and a sharer in the prosperity unfolded by the zeal and understanding of its tireless workers, Andrew Scott had spent his career in the pursuit of agriculture, and at the present time is the owner of 240 acres of finely developed land, located north of North Topeka. When he came to Kansas, in 1867, he was a young man without prospects, save as they were represented by a keen ambition, willing hands and a strong heart, but these were put to such good account that he had steadily advanced … Read more

Biography of Rolla Edwin Long

Rolla Edwin Long, superintendent of the city schools of Galena, is an educator of wide and diversified experience in the schools of this state, and has spent altogether upwards of twenty years in a profession which is one of the most important to the welfare of mankind. In 1916 he entered upon his fourth consecutive year as superintendent of the schools of Galena. The people of that city take special pride in their schools, and Mr. Long has done much to raise the local school standards and improve the different departments of instruction. Under his supervision are six schools, a … Read more