Ohio County IN

Slave Narrative of Ellen Cave

Ellen Cave, interviewed by Grace Monroe in Rising Sun, Indiana, recounts her twelve years in slavery before the Emancipation Proclamation. Born in Taylor County, Kentucky, her experiences included witnessing the sale of slaves and enduring harsh treatment from a cruel master. After the Civil War, she reunited with her mother and married James Cave, also a former slave. After losing her possessions in the 1937 flood, she lived temporarily in a courthouse garage. Mrs. Cave bore thirteen children and worked tirelessly on the plantation.

Biography of Ira James

Ira James, born in 1826 in Indiana, began his career in boating on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers at 17, commanding several steamboats. He later ventured to California for mining and milling before returning to Indiana. After a stint in the Southern States setting up machinery, he settled in Mattoon, engaged in farming, and was elected Police Magistrate. James transitioned to the wholesale oil business and, alongside J. D. Herkimer, operated the local gas works. He was married twice and had five children, owning significant land and business interests.

Biographical Sketch of George C. Kemp

George C. Kemp was born on August 25, 1846, in Ohio County, Indiana. He married Minerva D. Stone in 1866, and together they had three children. In 1868, he relocated to his current homestead in Arcola, where he now owns 349 acres, originally gifted by his father, Ezra Kemp. Ezra had relocated from Indiana in a unique manner, using horseback to navigate to vacant land. Ezra married Tryphena Scranton, and he passed away in 1870.