Madison County IN

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 Frank D. Pence

FRANK D. PENCE. As the owner of a large and well equipped livery and sales stable in the city of Anderson, Mr. Pence has gained marked success and is known as one of the aggressive, enterprising and substantial business men of Madison County. In addition to a general livery business of important order he has built up a profitable enterprise in the buying and selling of horses, and he is recognized as an authoritative judge of equine values. He has a wide circle of friends in Madison County and further interest attaches to the record of his achievement by reason … Read more

Biography of Frank W. Witter

FRANK W. WITTER, The genuine western spirit of enterprise and progress is exemplified in the careers of such men as Frank W. Witter, of Van Buren Township-men whose laudable ambition, persevering determination and energetic natures have enabled them to conquer many adverse circumstances and surmount numerous obstacles, and to advance steadily to a leading position in their chosen walks of life, A resident of Van Buren Township for upwards of a quarter of a century, Mr. Witter has during this time gained the high regard of his fellow- citizens by his genuine worth, and as the owner of 170 acres … 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 Will G. Evans

WILL G. EVANS. Among the younger generation of business men of Elwood, one who has made a place for himself in. commercial circles is Will G. Evans, the energetic proprietor of the pharmacy at Main and Sixteenth streets, Mr. Evans was born in Irondale, Ohio, September 5, 1887, and is a son of John R. and Matilda (Mayberry) Evans. The paternal grandparents of Mr. Evans spent their entire lives in South Wales, They were the parents of a large family of children, John 11. Evans was born in South Wales, and as a young married man emigrated to the United … Read more

Biography of John H. Raymer

JOHN H. RAYMER. No more honored and respected citizen might be pointed out in Green Township than John H. Raymer, who has been a resident of the County since about 1860, or since he was eighteen years of age. He was born in Maryland, on September 20, 1843, and is the son of W. P. and Lena (Prior) Raymer, both of whom were born and reared in Maryland. They came to Montgomery County, Ohio, where they passed the remainder of their lives, which had been devoted to the business of farming. W. P. Raymer was a \ran of prominence in … Read more

Biography of Andrew Ellis

ANDREW ELLIS. One of the oldest railroad men now living in Madison County, spending his declining years in restful retirement at his comfortable home in Anderson, Andrew Ellis can look back over a faithful, honorable record of forty-one years and eleven months spent in the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. He was born at Econ- omy, Wayne County, Indiana, September 17, 1841, and is a son of Samuel and Abigail (Key) Ellis. His father, born in Greenfield, Tennessee, in 1798, removed to Wayne County, Indiana, in 1830, and settled in the woods where he purchased land, cleared it and … Read more

Biography of William P. Meyer

WILLIAM P. MEYER. The modern pharmacist is a man of many callings, for his is a vocation that calls for knowledge of various other lines of endeavor, His is a learned profession, necessitating years of study in the sciences of pharmacy and chemistry, and his care and skill in preparing prescriptions are of the most vital importance, while it is doubtful if there are many other callings that ask such long hours of labor, For these and other reasons the druggist is generally numbered among the substantial men of his neighborhood, and to be the proprietor of a successful pharmacy … Read more

Biography of Ivan C. Dunlap

IVAN C. DUNLAP. Every line of business is being successfully prosecuted at Elwood, for it is a community of sufficient importance to command a large trade from the surrounding country, and the people who make it their market demand the best of goods and service. One of the leading business men of this place is Ivan C. Dunlap, proprietor of the handsome jewelry establishment located in the Milligan Block, Mr. Dunlap was born at Arrowsmith, McLean County, Illinois, September 20, 1881, and is a son of Theodore F. and Eliza E. (Green) Dunlap. The paternal grandfather of Mr. Dunlap, Calvin … Read more

Biography of George W. Bickford

GEORGE W. BICKFORD. Mr. Bickford has been a resident of Anderson for more than twenty years and during the greater part of that time has been one of the faithful and efficient men in the postal service, He comes from good New England stock, and was born in the village of Rochester, New Hampshire, June 11, 1856, a son of John H. and Mary Jenks Bickford, both natives of New Hampshire. The father was a carpenter by trade and worked in that line the greater part of his life, and did well by his family. George W. Bickford grew up … 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 Thomas Jenkins Doty

THOMAS JENKINS DOTY, a well known farming man and a pioneer resident of Green Township, Madison County, was born near the place where he now makes his home, on August 25, 1838. He is the son of John and Sarah A. (Parsel) Doty, both natives of Pennsylvania, who came to Madison County some time prior to 1838, and here lived the remainder of their lives. John Doty entered government land and established a home on the virgin soil of Indiana, ultimately gaining a prominent place in the agricultural activities of the County in which he located with his family. He … Read more

Biography of Thomas Morris Hardy

Thomas Morris Hardy

THOMAS MORRIS HARDY, The prosperity and advancement of a community depend upon the social character and public spirit of its members and in every prosperous town or country center may be found citizens who take leadership and give their energies not atone to their well being but to the things that make better and fuller life for all, Such a citizen at Pendleton has Mr. Hardy been recognized for many years. Lieutenant Hardy was a soldier of the Civil war, was in early life a teacher, from that became actively identified with farming, and for the past twenty-five years has … Read more

Biography of W. C. Scott

W. C. SCOTT. Few men who find pleasure in country life realize more solid enjoyment from their work than does W. C. Scott, well known farmer and stock breeder of this community, His work is his recreation alike, and in it he exercises every faculty in his possession. As a breeder of fine horses Mr. Scott is known throughout the state, and he is especially well known as the owner of Dan R., one of the fastest horses of the country, with a registered speed of 2:011/4. As a general farmer, too, as well as in his capacity of breeder, … Read more

Biography of H. L. Kinnaman

H. L. Kinnaman. The present county treasurer of Chautauqua County is one of the oldest residents of that section of the state. More than forty years ago he began farming on some of the virgin acres of this county, and the careful study and energy he gave to the business brought him an ample competence besides providing liberally for his growing family. He is now a resident of the City of Sedan and had recently been chosen for a second term to the responsibilities of the county treasuryship. Mr. Kinnaman represents old American stock. His Kinnaman ancestors were German people … Read more

Biography of Sanford R. Moss

SANFORD R. MOSS, Located in Richland Township, not far from the city of Anderson is found Shadeland Stock farm, a property of sixty acres from which comes some of the finest light harness horses bred in Madison County. The proprietor of this enterprise, Sanford R. Moss, has had a long and successful experience in his line of work, having been trained therein as a boy, and his firmly-established reputation as a raiser, breeder and trainer of these animals has created an active demand for his animals in the markets of the big cities, Mr. Moss was born on his present … Read more

Slave Narrative of Carl Boone

Interviewer: Robert C. IrvinPerson Interviewed: Carl BooneLocation: Anderson, IndianaPlace of Birth: Marion County, KentuckDate of Birth: 1850Place of Residence: 801 West 13th Street, Anderson, Madison County, Indiana Submitted by: Robert C. Irvin District No. 2 Noblesville, Ind. SLAVES IN MADISON COUNTY CARL BOONE Anderson, Indiana This is a story of slavery, told by Carl Boone about his father, his mother and himself. Carl is the last of eighteen children born to Mrs. Stephen Boone, in Marion County, Kentucky, Sept. 15, 1850. He now resides with his children at 801 West 13th Street, Anderson, Madison County, Indiana. At the ripe old … Read more

Biography of Oliver E. McClintock

OLIVER E. MCCLINTOCK. The roster of agriculturists of Madison County who have participated prominently in the movement which have served to bring about the great progress and advancement of this section of the State during the past half a century would be incomplete indeed did it not contain the name of Oliver E. McClintock, of Stony Creek Township, who, although now a resident of the town of Lapel, has for many years been interested in farming and stock raising in Stop, Creek and Jackson Townships, where he is the owner of large property. Mr. McClintock belongs to that class of … Read more

Biography of Fred B. Fornshell

FRED B. FORNSHELL. Now editor and manager of the Elwood Call- Leader, Mr. Fornshell is a young and enterprising newspaper man, and has proved himself a worthy successor of his father in the work of building up and conducting a first-class newspaper. He was born at Van Wert, Ohio, March 14, 1885, and is the only son and child of Elmer E. and Emma (Conover) Fornshell. His father, who was reared and educated at Camden, Ohio, first learned the tinner’s trade under his father, and followed that occupation for twenty-five years, He then entered the field of journalism, being associated … Read more