LEE SHAW, the principal facts of whose career are herewith set forth, is the efficient secretary of the Muncie Natural Gas company, and one of the city's well known and popular business men. His father, Isaac M. Shaw, a native of Ohio, moved to Wayne county, Ind., in 1847, and for some years thereafter carried on a successful fanning mill manufactory at Centreville. Subsequently, he embarked in the mercantile trade at Winchester, Ind., with but very little knowledge of the business; his venture proved a financial failure, entailing an almost complete loss of the savings of many years of industry. After the loss of his wealth, which at the time of commencing merchandising was considerable, he followed various enterprises until his death, which occurred in the year 1872, at Winchester. Isaac M. Shaw was married about the year 1840 to Margaret Ashwell, of Morrow county, Ohio, who departed this life in 1886, at the age of seventy-four years. Of the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Shaw four are living at this time, viz.: Lee, Benjamin F., Elmer and Melcena, wife of W. W. Wilson, of Farmland. Lee Shaw was born April 6, 1845, in Morrow county, Ohio, and was brought to Indiana by his parents when two years of age. In the schools of Centreville and Winchester, which he attended at intervals until his sixteenth year, he obtained the rudiments of an English education, and at the early age of twelve, by reason of his father's business failure, he was thrown upon his own resources, from which time until sixteen he was variously employed. About the year 1861 he went into the office of the Big 4 railroad at Winchester (then the Bee Line) as errand boy and general helper, etc., in which capacity he continued for two years, and then began learning telegraphy, soon becoming quite proficient as a manipulator of the key. His first and only position as an operator was at Anderson, where he remained a short time, then entered the employ of the United States Express company as messenger, and letter acted as agent for the same at different points for a period of thirteen years. For four years he had exclusive charge of the money department of the company at Indianapolis, but owing to failing health, superinduced by too close attention to the duties of the position, he was compelled to resign, after which for one year he had charge of the office at Muncie. Severing his connection with the express company, Mr. Shaw next entered the railway service of the Bee Line (now Big 4) road, and for some years was local agent at Anderson Union City and Muncie, in the order named. In January, 1887, he retired from the road and became secretary of the Muncie Natural Gas company, organized that year, and has since held that position, discharging the duties incident thereto with credit to himself and satisfaction to the corporation. Mr. Shaw is an accomplished business man, fully alive to the interests of the company with which he has so long been identified, and is thoroughly familiar with all details pertaining to the natural gas business. Since taking charge of the books of the corporation, he has instituted a number of new and greatly improved methods relative to consumers and their accounts, his services in this regard alone being highly valuable to the company in economizing both time and expense, besides being duly appreciated by the public. Politically Mr. Shaw's allegiance is with the republican party; fraternally he is a Mason of high standing, having taken a number of degrees in the order, including that of Sir Knight. In the year 1874 he was united in marriage to Miss Rose Ross, daughter of John H. and Rebecca (Fleming) Ross; two children, Lottie and Amie, are the result of the union.

Submitted by: Phyllis Miller Fleming
"A Portrait and Biographical Record of Delaware County, Indiana. " 1894. pages 432-433


Granville W. Shepp, the efficient chief of the fire department of Muncie, Ind., was born in Dayton, Montgomery county, Ohio, September 1, 1857, a son or B. F. and Fily (Cliclince) Shepp, who both were born in Shenandoah county, Va., near Stanton, and when children taken to Ohio, where they were reared. They were married in Washington, Fayette county, Ind., where Mr. Shepp engaged in farming until 1872, when he located in Delaware county, Ind., which was his home until 1892, when he removed to Muncie, of which city he is now a resident. He and his wife are the parents of fourteen children, thirteen of whom survive. Politically Mr. Shepp, Sr., is a republican, and was a soldier in the late war. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Granville W. Shepp was reared in Dayton, Ohio, until the age of seventeen years, receiving only a limited education. He then engaged in teaming but removed to Delaware county, Ind., in 1872, and in 1882 engaged in teaming in the Cumberland mountains in Kentucky. August 1, 1883, he returned to Delaware county, entering the fire department of the city of Muncie, driving the hose wheel from August to October, at which time he took the position of driver of the chemical engine and retained it until 1891. On June 8, 1891, he was appointed chief of the department, and so faithfully did he perform the duties of the position that he was elected in 1892. Mr. Shepp was married August 22, 1880, to Miss Emma F. Shafer, who was born in Centre township, April 17, 1863, daughter of Martin and Minerva (Wireman) Shafer, natives of Pennsylvania and Indiana, of German descent. Mr. and Mrs. Shepp are the parents of three children -- Carl W., Nellie F. and Lone F.

Socially Mr. Shepp is a member of the Foresters, belongs to Preston lodge of Red Men, No. 145, and is a Knight of Pythias. Politically Mr. Shepp is a republican and a stanch supporter of party principles. Mrs. Shepp is a consistent member of the Baptist church.

Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming
"Portrait and Biographical Record of Delaware County, Indiana" page 433


Silas Fleming was a soldier in the second war with England. He descended from a distinguished line of Scotch-Irish ancestors -- some of whom emigrated to America in the seventeenth century and settled in Virginia and North Carolina. Sir Thomas Fleming, son of the Earl of Wigton, emigrated to Virginia in 1616. Many of the family followed him to the same colony, one of whom was Colonel William Fleming, and another, the father of James Fleming, who was born near Staatsville, Iredell county, North Carolina, in 1762. The records at Washington show that James Fleming served two terms of enlistment in the Revolutionary army. He married Elizabeth Mitchell of Virginia and emigrated to New Paris, Preble county, Ohio, in 1807, where he died in 1832.

Silas Fleming, son of James, was born near Staatsville, Iredell county, North Carolina, in 1789. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, from the state of North Carolina, though we do not know the period of his enlistment, nor the names of the officers under whom he served. If he came to Ohio in 1807, at the time of his father's removal, he would then have been eighteen years of age. He was married to Elizabeth Caughey, by whom he had twelve children, five sons and seven daughters, all of whom were born at New Paris, Ohio. Of the above, five daughters became residents of Muncie, and four of them died in this city. The first wife of Silas Fleming died about the year 1837, after which he married Lavina Purviance, and about 1856, removed to Bloomington, Ill. In 1870, while upon a visit to his sisters in Muncie, Mr. Fleming was attacked with paralysis. Here he died, and here he was buried. He was by occupation a miller; a man of sterling character and integrity; firm and upright in his dealings with all men. In religious faith he was a Universalist. Of his daughters who were long-time residents of this city, there was Mrs. Sarah Richey, Mrs. Jane Ross, Mrs. Amy Ireland, Mrs. Nancy Greene and the Misses Cynthia and Lucinda Fleming. No wonder these good lades were always ready with baskets filled to aid in supplying hungry soldiers passing to or from the front during the civil war. Their hearts were in such work.

Submitted by: Phyllis Miller Fleming
"History of Delaware County Indiana", G. W. H. Kemper, M.D., Lewis Publishing Co, Chicago, 1908 page 325-326


Enoch Garner, a soldier of war of 1812, was born June 10, 1780. The place of his birth, his ancestry, the details of his service are all unknown to this writer. Our public records show that in the year 1837 he entered land in Harrison township. Part of section thirteen, township twenty-one, range eight. This land he cleared and improved, thus opening up a homestead in the dense forest, and here he continued to reside until January 4, 1852, when he died, at the age of 71 years, 6 months and 13 days. He was buried at the Jones cemetery, on the Jackson street Turnpike. About the record of this old soldier there is no question. His aged widow was still living in the year 1875, and drawing a pension. The Government adopted some very harsh measures against these worthy old ladies, who chanced to be upon the pension rolls. It required them to appear before the Clerk of the Circuit Court, personally, and execute their vouchers. It could not be delegated to a deputy. Upon the tombstone of Mr. Garner is the following very interesting bit of history: "Being a member of the Christian Friends Church, for the last ten years of his life." A fire, which destroyed the dwelling of the late Vincent Garner, son of Enoch Garner, is said to account for the loss of all family records, which would have furnished the details so much desired about this old soldier.

Submitted by: Phyllis Miller Fleming
"History of Delaware County Indiana", G. W. H. Kemper, M.D., Lewis Publishing Co, Chicago, 1908 page 326


Thomas Fires, a soldier of the war of 1812, was an Irishman, a cooper by trade, which occupation he followed in connection with farming, upon the home place, about four miles north of Selma. He had four sons and two daughters. Two of his sons enlisted in the Nineteenth Regiment, Indiana Volunteers. One of them was a fifer in Company K, and died at Upton's Hill, in Virginia. He was intensely patriotic during the Civil War. Lincoln and Loyalty, were his constant watchwords. We regret lack of time to investigate, as he deserves, the history ad service of this old soldier. Persons who knew him say that he possessed a rather striking facial appearance. He was lantern-jawed, and had a very long chin. From its point, bushy whiskers protruded somewhat after the manner of an elongated shaving-brush. He was short on teeth; he worked his jaws with great rapidity and which he chewed as a cow would chew her cud. When in full operation it was said to have resembled an automatic pump-handle. The only reservation he made was time to take his meals, his rest, and the conversation necessary to the common business affairs of life. All the rest he spent in grinding his favorite weed. He died about the year 1875, and was buried, probably , at the Spahr graveyard.

Submitted by: Phyllis Miller Fleming
"History of Delaware County Indiana", G. W. H. Kemper, M.D., Lewis Publishing Co, Chicago, 1908 page 325


CLAYTON B. TEMPLER. The prestige of Clayton B. Templer at the bar of Delaware county stands in evidence of his ability and his intrinsic worth of character. He has used his intellect to the best purpose, and his career has been based upon the assumption that nothing wave industry, perseverance, sturdy integrity and fidelity to duty will lead to success. The birth of Mr. Templer occurred near Portland, in Jay county, Indiana, June 10, 1850, a son of George W. and Hannah S. (Nedsker) Templer, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio. It was during the pioneer days in the history of Indiana that the parents took up their abode in Jay county and the father became a man of prominence in his community. He was a leader in the ranks of the local Democracy and as its representative served as a justice of the peace, county recorder, county treasurer, county commissioner, and in many other positions of trust and responsibility. He was also a prominent member of the Masonic order and in the faith of the Methodist church, of which he had long been a devout and faithful member, he passed away in death in 1882.

Submitted by: Phyllis Miller Fleming
"History of Delaware County Indiana", G. W. H. Kemper, M.D., Lewis Publishing Co, Chicago, 1908


WEBSTER S. RICHEY. For over thirty-five years, Webster S. Richey has resided within the borders of Delaware county, and in that time has won a place among its best and most favorably known citizens. He is also connected with one of the leading industrial concerns of the county, the Ball Brothers Glass Manufacturing Company. Mr. Richey was born in Preble county, Ohio, March 11, 1848, a son of Samuel W. and Sarah D. (Fleming) Richey, natives of Ohio, of the counties of Butler and Preble respectively. The father was for many years a prominent merchant of New Paris, Ohio, and his death occurred in 1881, at the age of seventy-six years.

Webster S. Richey, the youngest of his eight children, and with his sister the only surviving members of the family, was reared in the village of New Paris, Ohio, there receiving a fair common-school education. When but sixteen years of age, on the 1st of April, 1864, he enlisted for service in the Civil war, entering the Eighth Ohio Battery, Light Artillery, and at the close of his fifteen months' service he received a serious injury while mounting a cannon. This was about the time of the close of the conflict, and receiving his honorable discharge he returned home and for some time thereafter was engaged in the drug business in New Paris. In 1867 he accepted a position as bookkeeper with a wholesale grocery house in Richmond, Indiana, there remaining for three years or until 1870, when he came to Muncie and again entered the drug business, in which he formed a partnership with his cousin, W. E. Richey, the firm name becoming Richey & Richey. From 1871 to 1876 he was agent for the American Express Company at Muncie, also joint agent for the same company and the United States Express Company from 1876 to 1880, from 1880 to 1881 served as freight agent for what is now the Big Four Railroad Company, for one year thereafter was bookkeeper for Mr. James Boyce, from 1882 to 1887 was bookkeeper for Mr. James Boyce, from 1882 to 1887 was route agent for the United States Express Company through Indiana and Ohio and from 1887 to 1889 was again the bookkeeper for Mr. Boyce.

In 1890 Mr. Richey was chosen the Republican candidate for auditor of Delaware county, and elected to the office served satisfactorily for four years, but having made the race for the office on the one term promise did not become a candidate for re-election. In 1894 he was a prominent candidate for the Republican nomination for state auditor, and although he received votes from as many as fifty-one of the ninety-two counties in the delegate convention of his party he failed of nomination after a creditable race. For some five years thereafter he was an accountant for the Chosen Friends, a fraternal insurance order with headquarters at Indianapolis, In 1900 he accepted a position with the Ball Brothers Glass Manufacturing Company at Muncie as an accountant, of which he is the present incumbent.

Mr. Richey married, October 15, 1872, Miss Julia Thomas, a daughter of Mr. J. Harvey and Jerusha Thomas, of Dayton, Ohio. Their three children are Albert S., Reba and Paul, the eldest being a graduate of Purdue University and now professor of electric railroad engineering in the Worcester (Massachusetts) Polytechnic Institute. Both Mr. and Mrs. Richey are members of the Presbyterian church. He also has membership relations with Williams Post, No. 78, Department of Indiana, G. A. R., and with the Masonic fraternity, in which he has reached the Thirty-second degree, and affiliates with the Knights Templar, the Scottish Rite and the Mystic Shrine, Murat Temple, Indianapolis, His fraternal relations also connect him with the order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 74, and with the Independent Order of Red Men, No. 30, and he is a member of the Commercial Club of Muncie.

Submitted by: Phyllis Miller Fleming
"History of Delaware County Indiana", G. W. H. Kemper, M.D., Lewis Publishing Co, Chicago, 1908 page 675


Deb Murray