Dr. John H. Green was born at North Vernon, Indiana, in 1886, and is a son of Dr. James H. and Emma (Millizen) Green. His paternal grandfather was Dr. Charles H. Green, who was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, a member of one of the old and distinguished families of the Buckeye State. After attending the public schools he entered the Ohio Medical College (University of Ohio), at Cincinnati, Ohio, from which institution he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine, and in 1856 commenced practice at Butlerville, Jennings County, Indiana. Three years later he removed to North Vernon, where he was not only prominent in a professional way, but also in public affairs, contributing materially to the upbuilding and development of this part of the state during the period of its infancy. He was a physician of the old school who rode many miles on horse-back and in his buggy to attend to cases far from his home and whose benevolence and charity were by-words all over the countryside.
Dr. James H. Green, father of Dr. John H. Green, was born in Jennings County, not long after the arrival of his parents in this state, and from his father inherited an inclination for the profession of medicine. He was carefully trained under the preceptorship of the elder man, and was then sent for a full course to the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati, from which he was graduated with his degree as a member of the class of 1884. He was a thoroughly capable member of his profession, who won success by sheer ability and industry, and like his father was a prominent figure in civic affairs, holding a number of offices and being held in high esteem by the people. He married Miss Emma Millizen, a native of Illinois.
After attending the public schools of North Vernon Dr. John H. Green pursued a course at Purdue University, and then entered the medical department of the University of Indiana, from which he was graduated with his degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1911. Immediately thereafter he settled down to practice at North Vernon, where he proceeded to assume the mantle of his father's and grandfather's ability, and is now in possession of one of the best practices to be found in the state in a city of this size. During the World war he served as a member of the Medical Advisory Board and later was commissioned a first lieutenant in the United States Medical Corps and was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, for four months, but was not called for overseas service. He was formerly health commissioner of North Vernon, and since 1923 has been a member of the Indiana State Board of Health, in addition to which he is president of the Jennings County Medical Society, surgeon for the Baltimore & Ohio Railway and United States medical examiner at North Vernon. He belongs also to the Fourth District Medical Society, the Indiana State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He is commander of the local post of the American Legion for 1929, belongs to the Country Club, and is a member of North Vernon Lodge No. 59, A. F. and A. M.
Doctor Green married Miss Minnie Graves, who was born at North Vernon, daughter of Albert B. and Alzora Graves, and a member of an old and prominent family of Indiana, who settled here in an early day.
INDIANA ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OF AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT Vol. 5
By Charles Roll, A.M.
The Lewis Publishing Company, 1931
GEORGE STEPHEN SILLIMAN, M. D., a distinguished roentgenologist, saw active service with some of the American units in the World war, and has recently established his professional headquarters in Gary.
Doctor Silliman was born at Hoosick Falls, New York, December 26, 1882. His grandfather, Abraham Silas Silliman, was a Connecticut Yankee, from Fairfield, Connecticut, followed the business or occupation of farming and later lived at Hobart, New York, where he and his wife are buried. The father of Doctor Silliman was prominently and widely known throughout the East as a clergyman of the Episcopal Church. He was Rev. George D. Silliman, who was born and reared at Hobart, New York, was educated in St. Stephens College at Annandale, New York, and in the General Theological Seminary of New York City. After being ordained he was sent west and was for a time rector of the Trinity Church at San Francisco. He was rector of St. George's Church at Newburg, New York, and held several. prominent pastorates in the Albany diocese, being rector of St. Mark's Church at Hoosick Falls and of Grace Church at Albany, and of St. John's Church at Stockport, New York. He died April 1, 1910, and is buried at Newburg. His wife, Mary Warren, was born at Newburg, New York, was educated in St. Gabriels School at Peekskill, New York, and after her marriage was heart and soul in sympathy with her husband's career. She died in November, 1897, and is buried at Newburg. Her children were: Cecelia, who died when twelve years old; Mary Warren, a very gifted concert pianist who died in New York City in 1917; Rev. William W., now rector of St. John's Church at Cambridge, Ohio; and George S.
George S. Silliman made the most of superior educational opportunities, attending the Albany Academy, graduated from St. Stephens College at Annandale in 1904, and took his degree in medicine at the Albany Medical College in 1908. Doctor Silliman for seventeen years carried on a general practice in medicine and surgery at Westbury, New York. He was located there when America entered the World war. On May 30, 1917, he was enrolled in the Medical Corps, received training at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis, for two weeks and volunteered for immediate service in France. He went overseas, was attached to the British army and served as a medical officer in various units along the front line of the British armies until after the armistice. He was commissioned a first lieutenant and promoted to captain in July, 1918. After the armistice he was with the Army of Occupation near Cologne, Germany, until February, 1919. His honorable discharge came to him at Camp Upton, New York; May 6, 1919, and he then resumed his private practice at Westbury. Since the war he has been a member of the American Legion.
Having become deeply interested in X-Ray work and an expert roentgenologist, Doctor Silliman gave up his private practice at Westbury and for three years was associated with the Rutland Hospital at Rutland, Vermont, as pathologist. For one year he was roentgenologist at the United States Veterans Hospital at Aspinwall, Pennsylvania, and spent two years as roentgenologist at the Johnston Memorial Clinic at Abingdon, Virginia.
Doctor Silliman came to Gary May 1, 1929. Here his special service has been that of roentgenologist to the Methodist Hospital. He is a member of the Lake County, Indiana State and American Medical Associations, is a Mason, member of the Omega Upsilon Phi medical fraternity, is an independent Republican and member of the Episcopal Church.
He married at Westbury, New York, September 1, 1910, Miss Anne Margaret McConnell, of Philadelphia, daughter of Franklin and Margaret (Burke) McConnell. Her father was employed for many years as bookkeeper to the William and Harvey Roland Spring Corporation of Philadelphia, where he is now living retired. Her mother died a number of years ago, when Mrs. Silliman was about ten years of age. Mrs. Silliman attended grammar and high schools in Philadelphia, is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State Normal School and was a kindergarten teacher for several years before her marriage, doing this work in the public schools of Philadelphia. She has been active in church work and while at Westbury was a member of the Eastern Star Chapter.
To the marriage of Doctor and Mrs. Silliman were born six children, Margaret McConnell, George Stephen, Jr., Nancy Marion, Dorothea Janette, Elinor Warren and John Benjamin. Margaret was graduated from the Horace Mann High School in 1929; is the wife of William Nylec, who is now attending Indiana State University, and they have an infant child. George S., Jr., and Nancy are students in the Horace Mann High School, Dorothea and Elinor are in the Grammar School.
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INDIANA ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OF AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT Vol. 5
By Charles Roll, A.M.
The Lewis Publishing Company, 1931
SIMON W. TAYLOR, who at the time of his death was living retired in the attractive little City of Boonville, Warrick County, had in former years made a record of successful service as a teacher in the public schools and as one of the progressive exponents of farm industry in Warrick County. He was a scion, in the third generation, of a family whose name has been worthily identified with the history of this section of the Hoosier State since the early pioneer days. Simon W. Taylor died of heart trouble at Saint Mary's Hospital, Evansville, on May 28, 1931, at three a. m. and was buried at Boonville on Memorial Day, May 30, 1931.
He was born in Spencer County, Indiana, July 31, 1854, a son of Robert and Minerva B. (Burns) Taylor, both of whom were born in Warrick County, where the respective families were established in the pioneer period. Robert Taylor was born in Anderson Township, Warrick County, December 7, 1824, and his wife, Minerva Brackenridge (Burns) Taylor, was born in 1830, both having been reared and educated under the conditions that marked the pioneer period in the history of Warrick County, where their marriage was solemnized February 7, 1850. Robert Taylor made his influence count in successful activity as a farmer, as a pioneer saw-mill operator, as owner and conductor of a general merchandise business at Newburg, Warrick County and as county clerk for eight years, and he was one of the most honored and venerable native sons of Warrick County at the time of his death, which here occurred December 13, 1913, his wife passed away in September, 1907. He went to California in the gold rush of 1849, being fairly successful in finding gold. Of the six children only two are now living: Louis died in childhood, Emma became the wife of William H. Patterson, a lawyer, and she died at the age of thirty-two years, being survived by two of her three children. Sina, who died at the age of sixty-three years, was the wife of Willard C. Hunton, who is still engaged in the photographic business at Boonville, and she is survived also by three children. Simon W., of this review, until his recent death, was the eldest of the survivors. Ida, who is seventy-four years of age, lives at Boonville, unmarried. Charles H. was born October 27, 1865, and has been active as a business man at Boonville, by association with mercantile enterprise and by a long period of successful alliance with the insurance business. He married Estelle Osborn, and they still reside at Boonville. They have no children. On the 19th of May, 1931, Mr. Charles H. Taylor succeeded his brother, Simon, on the Indiana Board of Agriculture.
Louis Taylor, grandfather of the subject of this review, was born in Kentucky and in 1913 he journeyed on foot from Bowling Green, that state, to the Ohio River, which he crossed, and he became one of the earliest settlers in Warrick County, Indiana, where he acquired a large landed estate and where he remained as a substantial and influential citizen until his death. The deed to one of the tracts of land that he here obtained in the early days was signed by President Andrew Jackson and is now in the possession of his grandson, Charles H. Taylor, who retains possession of about eighty acres of the land represented in the ancient deed.
Simon W. Taylor received the advantages of the Boonville public schools and in 1873-74 he continued his studies in the University of Indiana at Bloomington. In 1874 he initiated his long and notably successful career as a teacher in the public schools of his native state, his service in the pedagogic profession having covered a period of forty years and his retirement therefrom having occurred in 1914, when he was granted by the state a teacher’s pension, as provided by the Indiana laws. He gave eight years of constructive service as county superintendent of schools for Warrick County, and he held the office of Boone Township trustee two years and at the time of his death was a member of the local school board. In 1914 Mr. Taylor turned his attention to farm enterprise, and in this field of basic industry he marked the passing years with notably successful achievement. He was loyal and progressive as a representative of farm industry in Warrick County and his was the distinction of having served continuously as a member of the Indiana State Board of Agriculture from 1913, he having been twice chosen vice president of the board and having held other official positions therewith.
Mr. Taylor gave to the Democratic party his loyal allegiance, he and his wife were earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and his Masonic affiliations included his membership in the Order of the Eastern Star, in which he was a past patron. It may be noted also that each of his two sons has received in the Masonic fraternity the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite and is a Noble of Hadi Temple of the Mystic Shrine, in the City of Evansville. He himself was affiliated also with the Knights of Pythias and the Tribe of Ben Hur.
Mr. Taylor was deeply loyal in his appreciative service as a member of the state board of agriculture, and that service was of constructive order in forwarding the interests of farm industry in Indiana. He retained ownership of one of the fine farm estates of Warrick County and was the owner of valuable realty in Boonville, including his attractive home place. His financial interests included his holding of Government bonds to the aggregate valuation of about $30,000.
At Boonville, on the 15th of July, 1886, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Taylor to Miss Lucy E. Hoagland, who was born and reared in Warrick County and who was a daughter of George and Emma Hoagland, the former of whom was born in Warrick County and the latter in England. She died at Boonville, July 27, 1920. Of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor the eldest is Jennie Marie, who was born June 27, 1887, and died about 1912. She was the wife of Ernest A. Wilkinson, engaged in the insurance business at Boonville. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson had one child, James, who was born in 1907. Howard G., next younger of the children, was born May 12, 1889, is a bachelor and is employed as a skilled mechanic in the City of Indianapolis. Lelia M., who was born April 9, 1895, is the wife of Walter F. Scheer, who was born in Ohio and who is now railroad station agent at Boonville, near which city he also has a well ordered chicken farm. Mr. and Mrs. Scheer have two children, Virginia and Barbara, born, respectively, in 1923 and 1924. Robert B., youngest of the children, was born October 29, 1905, is still a bachelor and is assistant manager of the Lockyear Business College at Evansville.
INDIANA ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OF AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT Vol. 5
By Charles Roll, A.M.
The Lewis Publishing Company, 1931
W. L. GROSSMAN, M. D. The career of Dr. W. L. Grossman has been one of constant and varied activity ever since he completed his educational training in young manhood. For a period of about twenty-three years he has been engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery at North Vernon, where he occupies a high and substantial professional position, and has served as president of the Fourth District Medical Society and as United States pension commissioner. He has taken an active and helpful part in civic affairs, is vice president of the North Vernon National Bank, and is also known in business circles, being a member of the board of directors of the Klingner Auto Sales Company.
Doctor Grossman was born on a farm in Posey County, Indiana, in 1879, and is a son of Andrew and Caroline C. (Lurker) Grossman. His paternal grandfather was William Grossman, a, native of Germany, who came as a young man to the United States in 1837, and took up land in Posey County,. Indiana, where he developed a farm, made a home and spent the remainder of his life in agricultural pursuits. Andrew Grossman was born on the home farm in Posey County, where he received a country school education, and early in life adopted the vocation of farming. This he followed throughout his life and was one of the substantial and highly respected men of his community. He married Caroline C. Lurker, also of German descent and a native of Posey County, and they became the parents of three children: Dr. W. L., of this review; Andrew A., who is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Posey County; and Lillian, the wife of Walter Knoppmeier; who is an employee of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad.
W. L. Grossman attended the country schools of Posey County and passed his boyhood on the home farm, subsequently pursuing courses at Oakland College and the University of Indiana. He prosecuted his medical studies at the Illinois Medical College, from which he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine as a member of the class of 1907, and in the same year opened an office at North Vernon, where he has since been engaged in a constantly increasing practice. He is widely and favorably known in his calling as a reliable, thorough and capable practitioner, an expert diagnostician and a steady-handed surgeon, and his practice is of the most desirable kind that can fall to the lot of a physician. Doctor Grossman, as noted before, was president of the Fourth District Medical Society in 1929 and United States pension commissioner for his district. He is also a member of the Jennings County Medical Society, the Indiana State Medical Society and the American Medical Association, and from 1910 until 1914 served in the office of county health officer of Jennings County. He belongs to North Vernon Lodge No. 59, A. F. and A. M., the Chapter and Commandery at Seymour, Indiana, and Murat Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Indianapolis, and is a member of the Knights of Pythias. He has done much to advance the interests of the North Vernon National Bank in the capacity of vice president, and has various business interests, including the Klingner Auto Sales Company, of which he is a member of the board of directors.
Doctor Grossman married Miss Ida R. Hartman, of Posey County, Indiana, and they are the parents of three children: Willma C., a graduate of DePauw University; Irvin, who is also a graduate of that institution; and Pauline, a pupil in the North Vernon Public School.
INDIANA ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OF AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT Vol. 5
By Charles Roll, A.M.
The Lewis Publishing Company, 1931
JOHN H. GILMER. The business career of John H. Gilmer at North Vernon dates only from 1919, but within the short space of eleven years he has achieved a success such as many men would regard as a triumph if accomplished through half a century of patient effort. Coming here at the age of thirty- seven years, and at a time when the keenness of business competition, particularly in the matter of manufacturing enterprises, rendered success impossible unless through the exercise of sound judgment, allied to a certain degree of venturesome determination, he has achieved a reputation and success through the founding and development of one of the city's most prominent enterprises, the Universal Endless Belt Company, of which he is president and manager.
Mr. Gilmer was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, in 1882, and is a son of George Walker Gilmer. He is a member of an old and distinguished Colonial family of Virginia which has contributed many men of ability to the various vocations and professions and to public and political life, and his father was one of the prominent and influential men of his community. John H. Gilmer attended the public schools of the Old Dominion, following which he pursued a course of engineering at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, at Blacksburg, Virginia. He was reared to agricultural pursuits, which he followed for some years, but possessed a mechanical turn of mind, and soon became interested in manufacturing enterprises. In 1915 he went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and for four years was associated in business with his brother as the L. H. Gilmer Company. Mr. Gilmer came to Indiana in 1919 and settled at North Vernon, where, in a modest way, he began the manufacture of endless belts. This company met with an immediate market for its product, and under the impetus of Mr. Gilmer's tireless energy and excellent direction the output increased rapidly. In 1924 the company was incorporated, with Mr. Gilmer as president and manager, and in these capacities he continues to act. The company manufactures all kinds of endless woven belts for machines using these articles, and although the concern has been in business for only eleven years its products have a large market in every state in the Union. Its specialty is the Universal Superior Hand Woven Endless Belt, which has gained a country-wide reputation. The modern plant at North Vernon covers 8,000 square feet of floor space, and sixty people are given employment at the peak of production. Mr. Gilmer is a member of the North Vernon Business Men's Club and belongs to Lodge No. 32, A. F. and A. M., of Albemarle County, Virginia. Mr. Gilmer married Miss Bessie White, of Houston, Texas, and they have four children: John H., Frances, William and Patricia, the first three of whom are attending school.
INDIANA ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OF AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT Vol. 5
By Charles Roll, A.M.
The Lewis Publishing Company, 1931
JOEL T. CARNEY, M. D. A leading member of the Ripley County medical profession, Dr. Joel T. Carney has been engaged in practice at Batesville since 1921, and through natural and acquired ability, thorough integrity and capacity for close application has built up a large and lucrative practice, at the same time winning the confidence and esteem of the people of his adopted community. He has also discharged with due conscientiousness the responsibilities of citizenship and of public life, and at present is president of the board of health of Batesville.
Doctor Carney was born in 1891, in Murray County, Georgia, and is a son of Timothy Carney, a farmer and merchant of Georgia, who in his youth served as a private of infantry in the Union army during the war between the states. Joel T. Carney received his early education in the public schools of his native community, following which he pursued a course at Saint Bernard College of Alabama, and then enrolled as a student in the medical department of the University of Louisville, Kentucky, from which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1921, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Subsequently he served his interneship at the City Hospital, Louisville, and in 1925 took post-graduate work at Barnes Hospital and Washington University.
In June, 1921, Doctor Carney settled at Batesville, where he entered upon the practice of his profession, and has built up a large and representative professional business, with offices at his pleasant and attractive home, 610 West Pearl Street. He is fully at home in all branches of medical and surgical science and has never found it necessary to specialize along any given line. A thorough student of his calling, he spends much of his leisure time in research and investigation, and is a man of broad general knowledge of various subjects. Shortly after his arrival at Batesville he was appointed secretary of the board of health and at present is acting as president of that body. He belongs to the Ripley County Medical Society, the Indiana State Medical Society, the American Medical Association, and while at the University of Louisville was initiated into the Phi Beta Pi fraternity. During the World war he enlisted in the United States Medical Corps, but was not called overseas, his entire service being confined to the army training camps and hospitals in this country. Doctor Carney is a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Knights of Saint John and the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Doctor Carney married Miss Sue Whitfield, a member of an old and distinguished family after whom Whitfield County, Georgia, was named, and to this union there have been born three children: Mary Carolyn, Elizabeth and John.
INDIANA ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OF AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT Vol. 5
By Charles Roll, A.M.
The Lewis Publishing Company, 1931
WILLARD N. VOSS. Of the men who through conscientious and energetic service have contributed to the welfare and good government of Indiana, few officials have better records than that of Willard N. Voss, of Versailles, county treasurer of Ripley County. A native of this part of the Hoosier State, he has always been loyal to its best interests, and as official and a citizen has worked valiantly and unceasingly in the promulgation of movements which have resulted in the betterment and advancement of Ripley County and its people.
Willard N. Voss was born on a farm in Ripley County, Indiana, in 1899, and is a son of Henry and Mary (Luhring) Voss. The paternal grandfather of Willard N. Voss was born Germany, where he received a common school education, and in young manhood immigrated to the United States, settling in Ripley County. At the time of his arrival he had small means and but a limited knowledge of the American language, but he was possessed of ability and ambition and in 1854 secured employment on a farm. From that time forward he advanced his fortunes and his interests, and at the time of his death was accounted one of the substantial citizens of his community.
Henry Voss, son of Henry and father of Willard N. Voss, was born in Ripley County, on the home farm, where he was reared, and received a common school education in the country schools. He was brought up to be a farmer and a raiser of cattle, and these vocations he followed throughout his life. He became an influential and substantial citizen of Ripley County and for four years, from 1900 until 1904, served in the capacity of sheriff. Mr. Voss married Miss Mary Luhring, a native of Ripley County, Indiana, daughter of Chris Luhring, who served as treasurer of Ripley County from 1894 until 1896. Mr. Voss died in 1918, leaving seven children, of whom Willard N. is the second youngest. One of his brothers is a prominent business man and farmer of Ripley County.
Willard N. Voss was educated in the public schools of his native community and at Milan, and was reared to the pursuits of agriculture, in which he has been engaged throughout his life. He remained on the home farm, and at the age of nineteen years, when his father died, he took over the interests of the elder man and conducted the property with ability and to its great advancement. In 1925 he entered the feed business, and conducted both the farm and the feed store until 1928, in which year he was elected county treasurer, taking office in 1929. His brother is now managing the feed establishment, which is one of the prosperous enterprises of Milan. Ever since the attainment of his majority Mr. Voss has been an ardent Democrat and active in the ranks of his party. As a fraternalist he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
INDIANA ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OF AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT Vol. 5
By Charles Roll, A.M.
The Lewis Publishing Company, 1931
