DAVID B. BOICOURT

David B. Boicourt, son of Felix and Ann Elliott Boicourt, was born June 23, 1822 in Clark County, Indiana. In 1831 David moved with his parents and siblings to Decatur County. Indiana, where on March 18, 1847, he married Mary Jane Holmes (also a member of a pioneer family). To them were born seven children, one of whom died in infancy. The first born was Aaron, then Zacharia, Christina Catherine, Enoch George, William and Rebecca. Marriages in the Boicourt family were: Aaron and Ruth Ann Saunders, Zacharia and Pauline (Polina)J. Pickett, Christina and Francis Albert Higgins, Enoch George and Amanda G. McCoy, William and Lydia Doggett and Rebecca and James A. Corya. All of the children were married in Decatur County, and many lived and died there. Both sons, Aaron and Zack became excellent drummers. Aaron was a tenor drummer and Zack a bass drummer; their brother, George played the fife. The trio played for many patriotic occasions in the neighborhood. Also, Zack achieved local fame for his role in reorganizing the old settlers' meeting which met in a grove on his farm for many years. "Uncle" Davey Boicourt spent most of his life supplying citizens of Westport, Decatur County, and vicinity with wheat and buckwheat flour and cornmeal. The Boicourt grist mill on Sand Creek became well known for the fine textured flour which was produced, and the women of the area much preferred the Boicourt Mill flour to any other they could buy. In June 1846, David made a deed for the church ground to George Boicourt, his brother, and to Joseph Stonecypher, W. Grayson, James Clark and Elihu Galloway, who were the church Trustees. They erected a log house in the fall of 1846. In 1859 they erected a frame house. This church at that time was a member of the old Neewborn Circuit. This was the first United Brethern Church in that section of the country except at Zenas, a town in Jennings County. Fredonia is an old landmark for United Brethern.

FELIX BOICOURT

Felix Boicourt was born February 3, 1780 in the State of Virginia to Jean-Marie and Louise Sandvig Boicourt. In 1800 he went to Pennsylvania, locating near Pittsburgh. He lived here about ten years and during this time, he was married to Miss Ann Elliott in October of 1804, the marriage taking place in Ohio. From Pennsylvania, the family migrated to Kentucky and settled near Louisville. It is said that they, in company with others, floated down the Ohio River in search of a place for settlement. They landed where Cincinnati now stands, but decided that the location was not suitable to their purpose From Louisville, the Boicourt family crossed the Ohio River to near Charlestown, Clark County, Indiana in 1812, four years before the Indiana Territory was admitted to the Union as a state. In 1830, they moved from Clark County to Decatur County and settled land a half mile south of Harper (3 1/2 miles southwest of Westport) on the banks of a stream which later came to be known as Millstone. Here the Boicourts built a small grist mill. The millstones cut from the limestone of the creek bed gave the stream its present name of Millstone Creek. Felix and Anna Elliot Boicourt were the parents of nine children; Absalom, William, Enoch George, David, James, Isabella, Julia, Christiana, and Ruth. All lived to their eightieth year, and some of them lived past the age of ninety. In his early Christian life he was connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church, but in 1835, he united with the United Brethren Church and in 1835 he was received into the Indiana Conference and licensed to preach. He was ordained in 1838. Although Felix Boicourt was a preacher in the United Brethren Church; he was also a farmer and miller. He worked for himself six days a week and preached on Sunday. One of his sons (Absalom) and a daughter (Christiana) organized the Millstone Class, which is now Fredonia, and two other sons, David and George, organized a class at the Horseshoe Bend Baptist Church which later grew into the Mapleton United Brethren Church. Old "Father" Boicourt did not take charge of a circuit, but he was a busy and faithful preacher in his local relation to the church. He was a well-beloved citizen, and minister of the Word. Felix Boicourt died February 28, 1842 at the age of sixty-two years. Anna, his wife, died in 1853 at the age of sixty-five years. Both were buried in the old Eddleman Cemetery, which is situated on the Clyde Pearcy farm about 2 miles southwest of Westport. He left the following children to mourn his passing: Abasalom and Rebecca Holmes Boicourt, Julia Ann Stonecypher (Mrs. Joseph), Isabella A. Corya (Mrs. Philip), William H. and Sarah A. Galloway Boicourt, Enoch George and Rebecca A. Armstrong Boicourt, Christiana Canfield (Mrs. Bennett), David B. and Mary Jane Holmes Boicourt, Ruth Ann Holmes (Mrs. John S.)and James Leslie and Susan Elizabeth Spear Boicourt.

Information provided by Jean J. Boicourt


CASPER CARTER, one of the prominent and successful farmers of Clarke County, residing in Osceola Township, was born in Decatur County, Indiana, in April, 1827, the only son of Dr. Abraham and Harriet Carter, of whom the mother is still living in her eighty-fifth year, having been a resident of Osceola since 1856.Casper Carter was reared and educated in the schools of Greensburgh, in his native county, and on attaining his majority he married Miss Clara C. Spencer, of Sumner, Illinois. They have had eight children born to them-- Harriet A., married Enoch Shawver, who is now deceased; Elizabeth P.; Adelia, wife of J. P. Cady; Sarah H., at home, and Loyd P. The others died several years since.Mr. Carter came with his family to Clarke County, Iowa, in 1856, where he followed farming till the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted in Company D.,Thirty-ninth Iowa Infantry. After serving eighteen months he was transferred to Company E, of the same regiment, and was then mustered as Captain of the company serving till the close of the war. He participated with his regiment in the battles of Parkeraos Cross Roads, Town Creek, Snake Creek Gap, Resaca, siege of Atlanta, and was with Sherman on his march to the sea. He received an honorable discharge at Washington, District of Columbia, in June, 1865, and soon after returned to Clarke County, where he has since followed agricultural pursuits.He is a thorough, practical farmer, and in all his undertakings has met with success, and is now the owner of 600 acres of valuable land, which is under good cultivation. His land is well fenced, and the greater part seeded down to grass. He has devoted considerable attention to the raising of cattle and hogs, which he fed and fattened on his own farm, and has lately turned his attention to raising high-grade short-horn cattle and Poland-China hogs, and is also raising horses and buying and shipping them to Dakota. He has a good residence, surrounded with shade and ornamental trees, and comfortable and commodious farm buildings for the accommodation of his stock.For many years he has furnished the agricultural statistics and reports of his township to the Secretary of State. Previous to the war Mr. Carter was clerk of Osceola Township, and for many years has served his township as trustee, with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents.

Submitted by: Lora
Clarke County Historical and Biographical Record by Lewis Publishing, 1886. p. 111


Deb Murray