Joseph Henry Harves

Joseph Henry, "Joe" was born 26 Oct 1885, Decatur Co, Ind., died 24 Feb 1952, at age 65, in Marion Co, Ind. He was buried in the Master Mortuary at Carmel, Ind. Joe was the son of John Henry Harves and Anna Sophia Heisman.

John Henry Harves, b 2 Dec 1862, in Sunman, Ind, d 19 June 1952, at age 89.

He married Anna Sophia Heisman on 14 Sept 1875. Anna b 22 Jan 1849, d 26 Sept 1932, at age 83. Anna was the dau of John Frederich Heisman and Gesche "Jane" Kassen. To John "Henry" and Jane were born: Jesse Harves; Levina, b 28 Jan 1879; Clara Irene, b 26 June 1880; Joseph (subject); and William Wesley Harves, b 13 June 1892.

Joe's grandparents were John Henry Harves, b Germany, app 1820, and Minnie Spectman, who died in 1865, age 44, and is buried at Sparta, Ind., in Ripley Co.

Joe married Tressa Tarpley, 10 July 1905. To them was born one child, Harold Tarpley Harves, born 4 Oct 1906. Tressa died in 1963, at a nursing home in Greenfield, Ind., which I remember Harold paying for. Joe was a big man, about 6'8, very attractive, with a dimple in his chin. His grankids had many fond memories of him. His chauffeur's license is in my possession, stating 6'2, 190 lbs, living in Evansville, Ind, age 34, dated 11-25-1925. Age is wrong, as his his heighth, for son was 6'2 and Joe towered over him. As Joe towered over all members of his family, in pictures. I and others always thought him to be 6' 10".

Joe left Ripley county, lived most of his ault life mainly in Rush, and Dearborn counties. Joe, Tress, and Harold, are on the 1910 census in Rush Co, Ind., in Richland twp. His son, Harold, was a truck driver for Allied Van Lines, for many years before retiring, and lived on Gale St., in Indpls. when he died.

Submitted by: Carolyn Harves Brumley
Click here for a photo.


JOSEPH HOLMAN, the gentleman whose name introduces this biography, was born in New Jersey, December 14, 1830, son of James and nancy (Johnson) Holman, natives of the same State, the former born in 1797 and the latter in 1804. They both died in this county. The family came to Rush County, Ind., about 1834, and settled in Noble Township. The immediate subject of this sketch is the eldest son in a family of eight children, six of whom are now living. In 1880, Mr. Holman purchased his present residence, and is the owner of 160 acres of fine land. His marriage occurred October 18, 1864, to Miss Martha Wellman. born in this township, February 20, 1840, daughter of Aaron and Frances (Lines) Wellman. They have three children, as follows: John P., born in 1866; Edmond, born 1869, and Lot, born 1870. The father of Mrs. Holman was born in Kentucky, in 1805, and was a son of Jasper and Drucilla Wellman. He came to Indiana and settled in Rush County, in 1827, on a farm near New Salem, and March 25, 1828, he was united in marriage to Miss Frances Lines, who was born in Franklin County, Ind., July 19, 1812. Mr. Wellman died February 28, 1868, and Mrs. Wellman, September 23, 1877. In politics, he was formerly a Whig, but at the time of his death, a pronounced Republican. He and wife were members of the Methodist Protestant Church. They were pioneers of the county and of the fourteen children born to them, ten are now living. Mr. Holman is a Republican, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Protestant Church.

Submitted by: Earl Mathews
History of Rush County published 1888


JOHN C. HUMES, Ex-County Treasurer, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 6, 1839 and the third in a family of nine children born to Thomas and Eliza (Brown) Humes, and is of Scotch-Irish lineage. His father was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1810, and died in his native county November 15, 1880; his mother was born near College Hill, Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1809, and died in Rushville, October 3, 1874. She was a daughter of Hon. Israel Brown, a member of the Ohio Legislature and afterward one of the Associate Judges of Hamilton County. The paternal grandfather of our subject was John Humes, a native of Scotland, who came to America and settled in Ohio in a very early day. He married Maria Varhees, who died in Effingham County, Ills. The grandfather died in Hamilton County, Ohio. The immediate subject of this sketch began life for himself, at nineteen years of age, and farmed until August, 1862, when he enlisted in Company I, Sixty-eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. He was one of four brothers who enlisted in the late war, one of whom lost his life at the battle of Nashville. In 1863, Mr. Humes was placed upon detached service, and in that capacity served some time. Returning home he resumed farming. In 1844, he came to Rush County, and with his parents, settled where he now resides. He owns 320 acres of land. He is a staunch Republican, and in 1878, was elected to the office of Township Trustee, and in 1880, was re-elected. In 1882, he was elected Treasurer of this county, and was re-elected in 1884. This position he filled with credit to himself. He was united in marriage February 21, 1860, to Miss Mary E. Perkins, daughter of Ira S. and Charlotte (Randall) Perkins. Mrs. Humes was born August 13, 1843. Her father was born in Franklin County, Ind., in 1810 and her mother in New Jersey, in 1809, and now resides with her children in this township. They have nine children, viz.: Orvill P., born December 23, 1860; John W., born December 21, 1862; Otto E., born June 7, 1866; Hattie L., born September 7, 1869; Curtis B., born December 25, 1871; Jesse, born October 24, 1873; Annie G., born September 7, 1875; Stella M., born March 11, 1878, and Charles Dolph, born June 24, 1882. He is a Mason, A K. of P., and a member of Rushville Council R. A. No. 887. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are among the prominent people of the community in which they reside. A portrait of Mr. Humes in presented with this volume as one of the leading citizens of the county.

Submitted by: Earl Mathews
History of Rush County published 1888


Russel Lyndon Coon was born May 31, 1903, in Rush County, Indiana, to Jasper Marion and Ida May (Stevens) Coon. He had only one sister, Freda Lavonne, who lived to maturity. Russel’s paternal grandparents were John W and Sarah E (Moore) Coon. John W was born in 1820 and died in 1895. Sarah, who was born in 1839, remarried John Creamer and died in 1909. Russel’s great-great grandparents Solomon and Barbara (Beaver) Coon immigrated from Harrison Co., Kentucky in about 1820. Solomon (1782-1869) and Barbara (1784-1855) were either born in Harrison Co., Kentucky or in Virginia. They lived near the county line in both Fayette and Rush Counties at various times. Barbara (Barbary) was the daughter of Michael Beaver Sr. and Christina____ of Virginia, who were the ancestors of most of the Rush County Beavers. Russel’s maternal grandparents were Edward and Hannah Alice (Bean) Stevens whose families lived in Fayette County after immigrating from North Carolina.

Russel graduated from Orange High School desirous of becoming a history teacher, but did not have the opportunity to go to college. In 1921 when Russel was 18 years old, he went to an Masonic ice cream social and boldly introduced himself to an attractive young Emma Elizabeth Newby. Their first date was to a box supper at a little school house in Fayette County.

Betty, daughter of Edward Garfield and Katherine (Edmondson) Newby), said that her mother had not been happy that Russel liked her because she thought he was too old for Betty although there were only 2 1/2 years difference in their ages. They traveled to Kentucky with Russel’s sister Freda as a chaperone to be married on June 30, 1922, by Uncle Henry Stevens, who was a minister in Lexington.

Russel, a farmer, rented the Connaway farm south of Orange in Fayette County across from his father’s farm for about seven years. Three of their children, Russell Lyndon Coon, Jr., Lillian Jean Coon, and Frances Louise Coon were born here respectively in 1924, 1925 and 1926.

In order to get a larger farm, Russel and Betty moved to the 250 acre Charles Kennedy farm near New Salem. It was there that Frances Louise died on July 4, 1930 ,and Joenita Lee Coon was born on Oct. 1, 1931. They lived on this farm about three years until the farm house burned down on Jan. 12, 1932.

His physical attributes -- five feet 10 inches tall with light brown hair and blue eyes are not as compelling as the fact that Russel was known as a man of high integrity with good solid work ethics. He loved his family and struggled to care for them even through a dark financial period. During the Depression, there wasn’t much money for able bodied men who were willing to work. However, Russel and Betty made it through the Depression fairly well. As farmers they had plenty to eat, although the children said they got more than their fill on the beans he brought home as payment for many jobs. Russel also drove a truck hauling grain and livestock. Later, he began doing construction work during wartime at Charleston, Indiana, where they were building a war plant. Later he worked at war plants in Terre Haute, Connersville, Cayuga and Clinton, Indiana and in Illinois. One summer after suffering injuries in an automobile accident, he got a job mowing the roadsides with his mower being pulled by two horses. He also worked as a carpenter doing the fine finishing work.

Russel’s father Jasper Marion Coon died on May 3, 1930, following a stroke and a fall. Russel and Betty moved their family to the farm to help out his mom. It was on that farm that one additional child was born on Feb. 16, 1936. Her name was Marian Kathryn Coon.

On January 1937, the Coon farm was sold, and Russel and Betty moved back into New Salem for a while. He continued to drive the truck and also did odd jobs. For a while, he commuted to Charleston, Indiana, and helped manufacture ammunition.

Russel’s son, Russell Coon, Jr., was drafted before his high school graduation, and was sent to Hawaii and Iwo Jima. A teletype operator, he saw the treaty signed. Russell Jr. married Ruth Dusing in 1949 and they had six children: Beth Ann, Frances Louise, David, Donald, Denise and Melinda (Mindy).

Russel and Betty’s first child to get married was Jean. She married Robert Lee Moore in Zionsville, Indiana. Their daughter, Ricki Jan Moore, born in Connersville, Fayette, Indiana was the first grandchild.

Their daughter Joenita married Kenneth John Schneider also in 1949 and were the parents of Barbara Ann, twins Susie and Sally, and Steve. Marion Kathryn (Kay) married Daniel Murray Dible adding grandchildren: Daniel, Kathryn Elizabeth, Laura, and Edward. Mindy, Edward and Laura were born after Russel’s untimely death.

Russel and Betty built their own home in 1957. Their dream house, located on State Road 3 just one-half mile south of Rushville, was a three-bedroom ranch style home with a facing of gray and pink stone. Russel was still finishing the interior when he suffered a stroke in 1954. Two years later, at age 56, he died on July 20, 1959, in the Rush County Hospital.

Click here for a 1955 photo of Russel and Betty (Newby) Coon.
Click here for a photo of Emma Elizabeth Newby at roughly 14-15 years of age.
Click here for a photo of John W. and Sarah E. (Moore) Coon.
Click here for a photo of the 1943 graduating class of New Salem High School.
Click herefor a photo of Jasper and Ida May (Stevens) Coon with their children Freda and Russel.
Click here for a photof of Jasper and Ida May (Stevens) Coon.
Click herefor a photo of Russel Coon's school class, roughly 1913-1915. Unsure of the school.
Click here for another photo of Russel and Betty (Newby) Coon.

Submitted by: Jan York


Born on the Pearson farm north of Rushville on State Road 3 in Rush County on Dec.24, 1905, Emma Elizabeth Newby (Coon Burkhardt) was the first child of Guilford County, North Carolina native Edward Garfield and Sarah Katherine (Edmondson) Newby. Katherine (1896-1921) was a native of Scott County, Kentucky. Edward (1883-1965) had come from North Carolina to live with his sister Emma (Newby) Kennedy and her husband Robert. At nearly the same time, Sarah Katherine (Kate) Edmondson came north to stay with her brother John and his wife because her mother was having financial difficulty. The two young people met, and the rest is history. They were married Dec. 22, 1904.

Katherine’s parents were Kentucky natives Jacob Edmondson (1852-aft 1886) and Artemecia Adair (1858-1940). Betty’s maternal great-grandparents were Napoleon Bonaparte Adair (1824-1873) and Catherine Ann White (1820-1864). Her paternal great-grandparents were Henry Edmondson and Sarah Jane C. Power. Ed Newby, known to most of the family as Dad Newby, was the son of Henry Benjamin Newby (1839-1928) and Delphina J. Kennedy (1846-1925). Both were North Carolina natives. His grandparents were Rix and Susanna (Loflin) Newby and Pleasant and Sallie (Jordan) Kennedy, all of whom were North Carolinians.

Elizabeth, or Betty as many called her, had great joy as well as great tribulation in her nearly nine decades. Among those is that she became a second mother to her sister Frances Kathryn and brother Robert Henry when their mother Kate was ill. Betty, only 15 when her mother died, accepted and carried out duties beyond her years.

It was in 1921 at a Masonic ice cream social in Orange that Betty met her future husband, Russel Lyndon Coon. “I would see Russel often when some of us girls would take our horse and buggy to Orange. He introduced himself there at an ice cream social. Our first date was to a box supper at a little school house in Fayette County,” Betty explained.

Russel proposed, and they were married June 30, 1922, by his uncle Henry Stevens, who was a Christian church minister in Lexington, Kentucky. Betty and Russel lived with Russel’s parents, Jasper and Ida May Coon on the farm in Rush County, a while until they could get into their rental farm. Then came the children Russell Lyndon, Jr. – RL or Junior as some knew him-, Lillian Jean, Frances Louise, Joenita Lee, and Marian Kathryn (Kay). The children gave them little trouble though Betty said they were pretty tough parents. The children enjoyed parents who loved them. They still describe their mom as sweet, loving, kind, and compassionate. Even now, her sons-in-law say she never had unkind words to say about anyone. Nor would she tolerate it from others. Kay’s husband Dan claims, “No one could ever say anything against one of her children. Mam-ma would fight like a lion to defend them.”

Russel and Betty made it through the 1930 depression with plenty to eat from the farm. Russel also drove a truck hauling grain and livestock. Betty remembered helping Russel remove the racks for the livestock and putting on the heavy sideboards for the grain. Much of his work was paid in kind spurring Betty to think of 100 ways to cook the beans he brought home.

When the family moved to Rushville, Junior and Jean went to the high school there for a year. Then they transferred and graduated from New Salem in 1943. Junior was drafted at age 18 in 1943, before graduation, and was sent to Hawaii and Iwo Jima. A teletype operator, he saw the treaty signed. He returned home to marry Ruth Dusing in 1949. Betty’s first child to get married was Jean who married Robert Lee Moore in Zionsville in 1944. Then, in 1945, Betty’s first grandchild, Ricki Jan Moore was born in Connersville, Indiana. Betty and Russel had fifteen grandchildren. Besides Ricki Jan, there are Elizabeth Ann, Frances Louise, David Lynn, Donald Joseph, Mary Denise, and Melinda (Mindy) Sue, children of Russell Lyndon Coon, Jr. and Ruth Dusing. Barbara Annette, Sarah (Sally) Louise, Susan Marie, and Steven Kenneth are children of Kenneth and Joenita (Coon) Schneider. Daniel Joseph, Kathryn Elizabeth, Edward Lyndon, and Laura Jeanne are the children of Daniel Dible and Marian Kathryn (Kay) Coon. At her death in 1994, Betty had 31 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren with the expectation of many more. In 2004, her great- great-grandchildren increased to 24.

Betty and Russel, along with their daughter Jean, helped the war effort by working at American Central in Connersville. Betty was a riveter at the same time the world was hearing about and seeing Rosie the Riveter. Betty worked at the Abercrombie Jewelry Store in Rushville from 1949 through 1955, and occasionally thereafter up until she was 72. She was an excellent judge of good jewelry and was wonderful with the customers. In 1961, Betty went to work for the State of Indiana at the State Office Building in Indianapolis in the Department of Motor Vehicles. Later, she worked in the State Internal Revenue Department. She retired from the State in 1968 and went back to work at Abercrombie’s.

Russel and Betty built and owned the first house of their own in 1957. Their dream house was located on State Road 3 just one-half mile south of Rushville. Russel and contractor Joe Gulde built the new house, a three-bedroom ranch style home with a facing of gray and pink stone. Their dream house did not afford them much immediate happiness as Russel suffered a stroke before they were entirely finished. Two years later, at age fifty-six, he died on July 20, 1959, in the Rush County Hospital from a blood clot.

Mutual friends, Russell and Ruth (Spacey) Glendenning introduced Betty to Ohio native Edward Carl Burkhardt at a euchre party. After dating, including attending some swinging dances, they were married April 2, 1964, in Hamilton, Hamilton County, Ohio, at St. John’s Church. They then lived on his farm six miles east of Rushville on State Road 44. They were very proud of their garden. An avid gardener, Betty canned much of her own foodstuffs.

Through horse and buggy days, the butter churning, the oil lamps and wood stoves, Betty worked hard and long. The coming of automobiles, electric stoves, televisions, microwaves, and computers didn’t really change or faze her. She still worked hard and long, but she had more time to enjoy a good TV program in later years and loved to go for a long ride. She was described by some in Rushville as “that little lady who drives down the street and all you can see are the steering wheel and her white hair.” And that when she was always sitting on a cushion to see over the dashboard.

A little white-haired lady who was fun loving, alert, and caring, she was also a good driver. Not many at 88 could take a driving test and be given a three-year license. At 80 she was an example of endurance surviving an emergency open heart surgery.

Betty was active in BPW, Home Ec Club, Little Flat Rock Christian Church and Glenwood Christian Church. She was a former member of Kappa Delta Phi Sorority. Betty remained active in the Eastern Star. She and her sister Kathryn had joined Star on Dec. 11, 1928, at Andersonville, Indiana. Betty served as Worthy Matron as well as many other offices. She also joined the Willa-dons, Past Matrons’ organization in District 12. She was an active member of Star for over 66 years. In fact she had attended a Star function the night she died, Nov. 29, 1994.

See Russel Coon bio for additional family info and pictures.

Submitted by: Jan York


Biography of Robert Groves, Revolutionary Soldier buried in Rush Co., Indiana

On February 27 1776 Robert Groves, then 12 years old, enlisted for 1 year as a drummer boy in Capt. David Hall's Regt. and participated in the American Revolution (Delaware Archives, Military, Vol. I. A muster roll for January 16 to April 11 shows Robert was in the barracks at Lewistown, Delaware (now called Lewes). This information from a copy made in the R&P Office War Dept., in Sept. 1897 of an original record borrowed from the State of Delaware, R & P 488296; and also R & P 436786. Also, records in my file indicate that Robert was one of "12 drummers and fifers present" with Gen. George Washington at Kings Bridge, Westchester Co., New York on October 5, 1776. Robert re-enlisted for a 3 year tour of duty in 1781 (age 17). A very detailed account of a war and skirmishes is in the above mentioned history. At the close of war Robert received 500 acres of land for his service, which he sold for an Indian pony. He set out for Virginia, stopping at Havre de Grace, Maryland where he met and married Martha Donovan. They married in 1786 in the Episcopalian manner. They lived in Havre de Grace, Maryland until 1791, but then set out with other families across the mountains, down the Ohio River in flatboats, to Maysville, Kentucky in the fall of 1791. Indians were their neighbors. In 1795 Robert Grove(s) lived in Maron Co., Ky. which is where Maysville is located.

In 1797 they moved to Pendleton County and settled on a farm located on the south fork of the Licking River, southwest of the current city of Falmouth, Kentucky. Robert appears on tax records for Pendleton Co., Ky. from 1799 to 1821. Joined Methodist Eqiscopals and preached. He once said that all he received for fifty years of preaching was 50 cents and that was given to him by a German to pay his ferriage across to Ohio River to preach. Robert sold land in Kentucky (Book B 311, Clerks Office, Pendleton Co., Ky.) in 1821 and moved to newly formed Union Twp, Rush Co., Indiana. At this time they still had 5 children at home. Donovan and Sarah Groves also came and settled nearby.

Will records for Robt. Groves, Clerk's Office, Rush Co., Indiana and complete Book of Wills, Book 13, pp. 202-215 for April term, 1858.
D.A.R. No. 130161

Submitted by: Mary Ann Bumgarner


GRANT THOMAS, one of Anderson township 's sterling citizens and well known over Rush county as an enterprising and successful farmer and stockraiser, was born in Howard county, Indiana, August l5, 1868, a son of Daniel and Martha ( Phillips) Thomas, both native Hoosiers, the former born in Rush county and the latter in Franklin county. Daniel Thomas attended the district schools in Rush county and worked on farms until he enlisted for service in the Civil war as a member of Company F, Sixteenth Indiana Volunteer infantry, completed his term of enlistment, was honorably discharged, returned home and married, and from then until the close of his life followed farming. From his first farm in Rush county, he moved to Clinton county and from there to Howard county where he bought eighty acres near Kokomo, remaining there until in September, 1881, when he moved back to Rush county and lived here until his death in 1900. He was survived two years by his widow. Of their eight children the following are living: Adda, Omar, Pleasant and Grant. Grant Thomas attended the public schools of Milroy. Coming of agricultural ancestry he naturally inclined to farm life and early began to make his own way by working as a farm hand. Mr. Thomas recalls the fact that for two years he worked steadily on farms for a wage of 75 cents a day and thereby, through thrift and industry, was able to accumulate a substantial addition to his capital that enabled him to purchase the old homestead of thirty-two acres in Anderson township. Since then, by continued industry and good management, he has added to his first body of land until he now owns 137 acres, highly cultivated and well improved. The Thomas home is a handsome modern residence. Mr. Thomas engages in general farming and raises stock, turning off about seventy-five head of hogs a year. In 1897 he married Edna Innis, daughter of William W. and Laura (Patton) Innis, and they have four children: William M., Jeanette, Pauline and Robert Patton, all residing at home. In politics Mr. Thomas is a Republican and interests himself to some degree in township affairs. With his family he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church at Milroy.

Gary, A.L. and E.B. Thomas, Centennial History of Rush County, Indiana. Indianapolis: Historical Publishing Co., 1921, pp. 462-63.
Submitted by Eugene F. Gray