Madison County IN Genealogy – Access Genealogy

Biography of Weems Bronnenberg

WEEMS BRONNENBERG. Agricultural methods have changed very materially during the past several generations, and now that progression among the farmers has become a vital national issue there is every reason to suppose that still further advance will be made along all lines, Interurban service, the telephone and the automobile, with the consequent bettering of the roads on account of the increased popularity of the last- named, have brought the farmers much closer together and have placed them in close touch with the centers of activity, and the man today who devotes himself to the cultivation of the soil finds himself … Read more

Biography of Jonas Stewart, M. D.

JONAS STEWART, M. D. Now one of the oldest members of the medical profession in Madison County, and prominently known to the medical fraternity throughout the state, having served some years ago as the first president of the Indiana State Medical Association, after it was reorganized and changed from the old title of Medical Society, Dr. Stewart has been identified by residence and by business and professional activities in Anderson since 1870. Jonas Stewart is a native of Indiana, having been born in Delaware County, January 26, 1843, a son of Lewis and Mary (Crampton) Stewart. The father, who was … Read more

Biography of Hon. William G. Zerface

HON. WILLIAM G. ZERFACE. whose career as legist, jurist, business moan and citizen has reflected honor upon himself and his community, is widely known to the legal profession throughout Madison County, as well as to realty men in this part of the state, where he has made his home for many years, He is a native of Indiana, having been born in Montgomery County, September 13, 1858, and is a son of Martin and Mary Jane (Larew) Zerface. The Zerface family was founded in America by Philip Zerface, the paternal great-great-grandfather of Judge Zerface, who came from England, although his … Read more

Biography of James J. Netterville

JAMES J. NETTERVILLE. It is highly probable that there are few residents of Madison County who are unfamiliar with the name of James J. Netterville. His is the name of a man, essentially self-made and the term in this instance is used in the broadest application possible, being that of one who in early life determined to win success if industry :Ind good management might be held as factors in the ultimate realization of his ambition. With neither the prestige of family nor the open sesame of money to aid him, he has made his way to the front ranks … Read more

Biography of Walter Isanogel

WALTER ISANOGEL, Special interest attaches to the career of this well known and highly esteemed citizen of Chesterfield, for he is a native of Madison County, a representative of one of its sterling pioneer families and has been prominently concerned with civic and business activities in the County which has ever been his home. Mr. Isanogel was born on a farm in Union Township, Madison County, Indiana, on the 3rd of January, 1863, and is a son of Jacob and Mary (Goheen) Isanogel, whose names are prominently identified with the annals of Madison County, where they took up their abode … Read more

Biography of Samuel Swain

SAMUEL SWAIN. The old citizenship of Madison County had no better representative than the late Samuel Swain, who was born in Fall Creek Township in the decade of the forties, and who died on the 9th of September, 1913. He had been continuously identified with this section of the County throughout practically all the years that intervened since the pioneer period. Mr. Swain was an infant when the first railroad was brought through the County and in the vicinity of his old homestead, he was a boy in his teens when the Civil war broke out, and he witnessed practically … Read more

Biography of John A. Moon

JOHN A. MOON, the proprietor of a picture-framing establishment at No, 1418 Main street, has been a resident of Elwood for more than twenty years, and during this time has gained a substantial position among the business men of the city and a place in the confidence of those with whom he has been associated, He has witnessed the marvelous growth and development which has made this city one of the principal commercial and industrial centers of this part of the state, and has been an active participant in many of the movements which have brought this great progress about, … Read more

Makin, Elzie O. – Obituary

For many years was engaged in the operation of a large sheep ranch in Wallowa county, is one of the substantial residents of Joseph, where he is now living retired. He was born in Madison County, Indiana, on August 7, 1862, the eldest and only surviving child born of the marriage of William and Mary (Fox) Makin. The father was at one time the largest sheep raiser in the Wallowa valley but he is now living retired in Enterprise. The mother, however, has long since passed away. When he was a child less than one year of age Elzie O. … Read more

Biography of William R. Kinnard

WILLIAM R. KINNARD. Since he located on the old Thomas farm in Pendleton Township, securing the place on the status of a renter, the fortunes of William Rush Kinnard have kept pace with those of the most prosperous of the men of his community, and he is today the owner of the fine old place which had been the property of his wife’s family years ago. Success has attended his efforts and he is reckoned among the prosperous and substantial men of the town, and one whose influence and opinion are potent factors in the communal life of the place. … Read more

Biography of Hon. John Larue Forkner

HON. JOHN LARUE FORKNER, As a volume of biography on Madison County would hardly be complete without the name of John L. Forkner, who as supervising editor of the present history is naturally modest concerning his own life record, the publishers take upon themselves the responsibility for the preparation and publication of the following sketch of a man who has been known in Madison County for nearly fifty years, and in many important relations with the business and civic life of his home city of Anderson and the County of Madison. John LaRue Forkner was born near the village of … Read more

Biography of John B. Pritchard

JOHN B. PRITCHARD. The present superintendent of police at Anderson has recently completed a record of twenty years with the police force, in which he began as a patrolman, and by efficiency and faithful service has been promoted and under several different city administrations has held his present place. He belongs to one of the old families of Madison County, the Pritchards having been identified with this County for upwards of seventy years. John B. Pritchard was born in Madison, Kansas, December 17, 1863, a son of Nelson T. and Magdalene (Nelson) Pritchard. His father belonged to an old North … Read more

Biography of Ira Williams

IRA WILLIAMS. Now retired from business and looking after his real estate business in Anderson, Mr. Williams is a citizen of Madison County, who started out as a farmer, found himself against a losing game, then managed to turn, ventured into a new field in a very modest way and by furnishing exceptional value and service in return for his customer’s money, built up a local business which was highly profitable and from which he was able to retire a few years ago, and spend his later years in comfort, To his wife he also credits a large share of … Read more

Biography of James W. Griffin

JAMES W. GRIFFIN. An able representative of the business interests of Elwood, James W. Griffin is widely known in insurance circles of the Hoosier State as the assistant superintendent of the Prudential Life Insurance Company, Mr. Griffin was born March 6, 1868, at Pittsboro, North Carolina, and is a son of James D. and Sarah A. (Harman) Griffin. John Griffin, the paternal great-grandfather of Mr. Griffin, was a native of Ireland, whence he came directly to the United States and settled in Ohio, There also settled Henry Harman, the maternal great- grandfather of Mr. Griffin, who had been born in … Read more

Biography of Charles Samuel Strahan, M. D.

Charles Samuel Strahan, M. D. While Doctor Strahan has the distinction of having been the mayor of Galesburg, Kansas, his high standing in that community is chiefly due to his long and active practice as a physician and surgeon. Doctor Strahan fought many battles with circumstances before he was able to gain his ambition and enter upon the practice of medicine, and throughout life has been a hard worker, conscientious in all his dealings, and has thoroughly deserved every item of his success. The Strahan family is of Scotch-Irish origin, and Doctor Strahan’s grandfather, Robert, was a native of Scotland, … Read more

Biography of Joseph Draper

JOSEPH DRAPER. In the eighty-fifth year of his life, Joseph Draper, whose home is in what is known as Scotts addition, and who is the owner of a section of land in Monroe Township, is one of the venerable old men of Madison County, has been a farmer, has grown many thousands of bushels of corn and wheat and other grain crops during his career, and his record is one of which his family and fellow citizens may well be proud, Joseph Draper was born December 18, 1828, in South Hampton, Virginia, the old Dominion state, a son of Thomas … Read more

Biography of Spencer Gorland Bevilhimer

SPENCER G. BEVILHIMER. For more than sixty years a resident of Madison County, Mr. Bevilhimer is one of the citizens whose name and a brief record of whose career should be permanently recorded in any history of the community, He represents a family which had its part in the early development of the County, he was himself one of the Madison County’s soldiers for the war of the Rebellion, and since his return to the County as a veteran soldier he has had his full share in the responsibilities of making a living and providing for home and family, and … Read more

Biography of Elmer Ellsworth Fornshell

ELMER ELLSWORTH FORNSHELL As postmaster of Elwood since 1905 Mr. Fornshell has performed a large amount of useful public service for his home city, and has managed the affairs of his office to the best advantage and convenience of the citizens. But the accomplishments for which he is best known and by- which his name is most closely identified with the city of Elwood were his enterprise in establishing the Leader, and his subsequent connection with that and the combination paper now known as the Call-Leader, Mr. Fornshell has been in the newspaper business for many years and has a … Read more

Biography of Neils P. Sailing

NEILS P. SAILING. The largest local enterprise of Anderson is the lumber and coal business conducted under the name of N. P. Sailing. The yards of this business are located on Home Avenue between Bronnenberg and Twelfth Streets. Mr. Sailing, who has the largest lumber yards and planing mills in this section of the state, furnishes to the trade all kinds of lumber, lath, shingles, sash, blinds, doors, frames, mouldings and wood turned work. Mr. Sailing is a native of Denmark, born in the city of Viborg in 1858. He is one of the men of foreign birth who came … Read more

Biography of Martin C. Norton

MARTIN C. NORTON. By various services and diversified gifts, men contribute to the building up of a city, and it is in connection with the opening up of the avenues of commerce and the furnishing of facilities for the transactions of trade that Martin C. Norton has bent his energies to the common weal, As president of the T. M. Norton Brewing Company, at Anderson, he is the directing head of one of the largest industries of its kind in this part of Indiana, while his connection with various other enterprises of an extensive nature has been such as to … Read more

Biography of Henry Drach

HENRY DRACH. It is gratifying to be able to present in this publication individual mention of so appreciable a percentage of the representative citizenship of Anderson, and to such recognition Mr. Drach is well entitled, as he is a loyal and public-spirited citizen and is the able and popular incumbent of the office of superintendent of the city water works. Mr. Drach was born in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, on the 4th of August, 1868, and is a s0n of Jacob W. and Maria (Hechler) Drach, both natives of Germany and representatives of stanch old families of that great … Read more