Blackford County Biography Ref. Page

ALEXANDER NELSON PURSLEY is a young man of unusual ability, both in the marts of trade and commerce and in the field of politics. Few men of his age and length of experience have been able to secure and hold positions of such trust and responsibility in public life, while the success that has come to him also in the business world in such as is not attainable by the ordinary man. Like many of the progressive and energetic business men of Hartford City, he has spent his life in his present locality, has grown with it and prospered with its prosperity, and has always interested himself closely with its development.

Mr. Pursley comes of solid old Irish stock, the immigrant ancestor of the family in America being Jacob Pursley, who was born in 1774 in Ireland, and 1791, with a brother and three sisters, took passage on a sailing vessel whose destination was the United States. After a long, tedious and tempestuous journey, the little party reached New York City, and at least Jacob went on to Kentucky, but in 1801 we find him married to Rachael Rankin and coming overland to Fayette county, Ohio. Locating in the wilds of that county, his was the third white family to make a settlement within its borders, and his first log cabin home was erected on Sugar Creek, not far from Washington Court House. Ohio was still a territory, and the little cabin was surrounded by dense woods, in which lurked the hostile red man and all kinds of wild game, but the sturdy pioneer couple braved all dangers, faced all hardships and worked courageously to make a home for their family, and to develop productive farm, objects which were accomplished after years of ceaseless toil. At time of his death, Jacob Pursley was eighty-nine years of age, while his wife also attained advanced years. It is believed that they were Catholics; at any rate, Mr. Henry Pursley, son of Jacob, later donated the land on which the first Roman Catholic church was erected in what is at present the city of Washington Court House.

Of their six sons and two daughters, Henry Pursley was born in 1803, in Fayette county, Ohio. He grew up amid pioneer surroundings, his boyhood home being the little log cabin and his playground the great stretches of heavy timber. His education was secured in the primitive schoolhouse, taught by teachers who were satisfied, usually, with giving their pupils a perfunctory knowledge of the "three R's," and the greater part of his training was secured in the school of hard work and experience. After his marriage to Sophia L. Rupert, he secured a part of the old homestead, to which he added as the years passed until he was the owner of 640 acres of land, the greater part of which is now occupied by the city of Washington Court House. Here he and Mrs. Pursley pursued active, although modest, lives, rearing their children to habits of industry and thrift, and contributing materially to the welfare and progress of their community. Mr. Prusley died in 1873, his wife having preceded him some years. He was an extensive breeder of stock, horses and mules, and was known as one of his county's most substantial agriculturists. It is not known what particular church they attended, but in politics Mr. Pursley was a democrat and somewhat of a leader in the affairs of this party and of the people of all that section. Of their children, Nancy, Rachel and Jacob lived to maturity, were married and reared large families. All were born in Fayette county, Ohio.

Jacob Pursley, son of Henry Pursley, was born in 1831, at Washington Court House, Ohio, and there spent his entire career, dying in 1875. He was there married to Miss Susanna Smith, who was born in 1832, and still survives, hale and hearty in spite of her eighty-two years. She is now making her home with her children, dividing her time between those in Indiana and in Ohio. Of these children, William Henry, the father of Alexander N. Pursley, is the fourth in order of birth, nine children grew to man and womanhood, eight are still living and have families, and all have been successful in agricultural pursuits, being people of both brawn and brain. Jacob Pursley and his wife were member of the Dunkard church, but others of the family have adopted different faiths, William H. Pursley and his wife adhering to the teachings of the same church, however.

William Henry Pursley was born in Fayette county, Ohio, March 27, 1856. After preparing in the public schools, he completed his education in Lebanon (Ohio) College, and in 1887 came to Blackford county, Indiana, which has since been his home. In his youth he was engaged for several years in teaching school, but he soon turned his attention to farming and raising stock, upon which he has continued to concentrate his energies. He is the owner of an excellent property located in Licking township, and his ventures have been rewarded with success because of his good management, his shrewdness, foresight and unceasing labor. While still residing in his native county he was united in marriage with Miss Amy Sanderson, who was born in that county, May 6, 1860, daughter of Alexander Nelson Sanderson. Mr. Sanderson died in Fayette county when seventy-two years of age, while Mrs. Pursley's mother passed away many years before. Her maiden name was Doane. They were the parents of seven children, of whom four are still living, all being married and the parents of children. Nine children were born to William Henry and Amy (Sanderson) Pursley, of which six still survive, namely: Alexander N., of this review; Jacob, city marshal of Hartford City, who is married and has two daughters; Orvall, a graduate of the Marion Law School, a successfully attorney of Montpelier, who is married and has three daughters; Albert, who is engaged in teaching school in Hartford City, is married and has two daughters; Earl, who is single and a school teacher; and Miss Edith, single who is attending the Hartford City High school.

Alexander N. Pursley was born March 3, 1878, and received his education in the public schools of Hartford City. His early training was of an ordinary character, but this has since been supplemented by much reading, wide business experience and keen observation of men and affairs, and one cannot now be long with Mr. Pursley without coming to a realization of the fact that he is a very well educated man on a number of different and important subjects. He early decided upon a career in mercantile lines and accordingly left the home farm and established himself in the grocery business at Hartford City, which has been the scene of his labors and successes during the past sixteen years. For the last six years of this time he has been located in the VanCleve building, located on the west side of the Square, having a storeroom 24 x 120 feet, with a basement under all. Mr. Pursley handles a complete and up-to-date line of staple and fancy groceries, as well as field and garden seeds, and has built up an excellent trade through straight-forward and honorable dealing and uniform courtesy to his patrons. His business ability is marked, and to it he adds a wealth of ideas, and an ability to recognize and grasp opportunities. While Mr. Pursley's business interests have expanded rapidly and widened in scope, thus demanding more and more of his attention, he has still found time to interest himself helpfully in democratic politics. In 1908 he was elected a trustee of Licking township, in which capacity he is serving his sixth year, and it is doubtful if this section has had a more capable or popular official. He is known as one of the wheelhorses of democracy in Blackford county, and at this time is chairman of the county democratic committee, his personal popularity, his organizing and executive ability and his keen knowledge of political conditions having done much to advance the interests of the party in this section. Fraternally, Mr. Pursley is connected with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, is past Worthy President of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, a trustee of the Improved Order of Red Men, a charter member and treasurer of the Loyal Order of Moose, a prominent member of the Knights of the Maccabees for some years, and a charter member of Knights of Columbus. As president of the Indiana Trustees Association, the municipal organization of the state of Indiana, Mr. Pursley is at the head of 1,016 members. Mr. Pursley is a man who has made his own way in life, and has succeeded because he has been able to overcome obstacles and because his plans have been well laid, well directed and well carried out. During his long residence in this community, he has formed a wide acquaintance, and in it he can number many warm and appreciative friends.

Mr. Pursley was married in Hartford City, to Miss Mary Sloan, who was born in August, 1877, in Greenville, Ohio, and came to Blackford county, Indiana, with her parents when five years old, her education being secured in the public schools here. She has been the mother of the following children: Evaline and Kathlyn, twins, fifteen years of age, gradates of the parochial school and now students in the Hartford City High school; Leo and Clara, who are attending the parochial schools; William and Lawrence, at home; and three children who died in childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Pursley are members of St. John's Roman Catholic church.

Blackford and Grant Counties, Indiana A Chronicle of their People Past and Present with Family Lineage and Personal Memoirs Compiled Under the Editorial Supervision of Benjamin G. Shinn
Volume I Illustrated
The Lewis Publishing Company Chicago and New York 1914
Submitted by Peggy Karol

FRANKLIN ELY. Of the men who have actively participated in the agricultural transformation of Blackford county during the past thirty years, none are better or more favorably known than Franklin Ely, owner of a farm in section 2, Washington township, and a man who has won the respect and esteem of his fellow townsmen through a life of clean and honorable living. He has spent his entire life in Blackford and Grant counties, having been born at Jadden, Grant county, January 20, 1853, a son of John and Keziah (Richardson) Ely, natives of Pennsylvania, the former of German parentage and the latter a member of a Pennsylvania family.

The parents of Mr. Ely came to Licking county, Ohio, with their parents as young people, and after growing to maturity there were married in that county, where they began their life. John Ely had learned the trade of blacksmith in his youth, and for some years followed that vocation at Grandville, in connection with which he manufactured agricultural implements. After some years he came to Jadden, Grant county, Indiana, and about the year 1850 opened a smithy at that place, but disposed of his interests there and came to Hartford City, from whence he eventually removed to Dundee (Roll P. O.), where he died in 1880, at the age of forty-five years. He was an industrious, energetic and enterprising workman, and secured at competency through faithful and persistent efforts. It is probably that his death was hastened by his army experiences, for during the Civil War he served more than three years as a private and non-commissioned officer in an Indiana volunteer regiment and Grant county company, participating in numerous hard-fought engagements, including that of Gettysburg, and was wounded three times. His record was that of a gallant, faithful and hard-fighting soldier, one who won and retained the admiration of his comrades and the respect of his officers. Mr. Ely was a democrat, but not an office seeker. His widow survived him for a long period, and died at Montpelier, Indiana, when seventy years of age. She had for many years been a devout member of the Christian church. The children of John and Keziah (Richardson) Ely were as follows: Benjamin, a retired blacksmith of Montpelier, married Sarah Palmer, and has three sons and two daughters; Mary, who died after her marriage to Dr. William Wilt, also deceased, who left one son, Delbert Wilt, D.D.S., a practicing dentist of Montpelier; Franklin, of this review; and George, a retired blacksmith of Montpelier, who married Nancy Alexander and has a daughter, Mabell, who is now the wife of Ray Green.

After completing the course of study in the public school of Jadden and Hartford City, Franklin Ely began to learn the trade of blacksmith under the capable preceptorship of his father, who was considered one of the most skilled men in his line in the community. He continued to follow this trade with success until 1885, when he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, purchasing a farm of eighty acres located in section 2, Washington township, where he still resides. Here he has continued to reside and make improvements to the present time, now having a handsome eight-room house, painted white, with a large red barn, 30 x 56 feet, and other buildings for the shelter of his stock, grain, implements and machinery. His property is an attractive one, reflecting Mr. Ely's industry, thrift and good management, and its structures are kept in the best of repair. Sixty acres of land are under cultivation, the other twenty being in native timber. Mr. Ely's reputation in business circles is that of a man who has always lived up to his obligations, and upon whose record no stain appears. He takes a pride in his community, and has at all times demonstrated a commendable eagerness to assist in its advancement in every possible way.

Mr. Ely was married in Washington township to Miss Margaret Chandler, who was born in May, 1854, near the present home of Mr. Ely, here reared and educated, and died June 20, 1897. She was a splendid woman, a faithful wife and helpmate and a devoted mother, charitable of heart, and of excellent ability. She was the mother of six children, as follows: Willard B., a general merchant of Dundee (Roll P.O.), married Ora Brotherton, and has six children�Ivolue, Lorena, Neil, Vaughn, Delight and Lois, the eldest a graduate of common school; Austin, engaged in farming in Harrison township, married Verna Dick and has two children,�Leslie and Esther; Dustin, a merchant of Connerville, married Myrtie Alexander, and has one child,�Burl; Charles, a machinist, who is unmarried; and L. Mabell and Mary L., who reside at home and keep house for their father.

Mr. Ely and his sons are consistent democrats, and faithfully support their party's candidates and policies. All are widely known in this section, and their friends are only limited by the number of their acquaintances.

JAMES DALIS WEAVER. Among the prominent citizens of Hartford City, James Dalis Weaver has had a prominent place for some years, and retired to this city to enjoy the fruits of a well deserved prosperity, won through a career as a farmer and business man. The Weaver family is well known both in Blackford and in Jay counties, and they have lived in Indiana, Ohio, and originally in Virginia, where the name was established during the colonial era.

In original ancestry the Weavers came from Germany. The grandfather of the Hartford City gentleman above named was Henry Weaver, who was born in Orange county, Virginia, about 1765, ten years before the beginning of the Revolutionary war. Exceptional business ability, whether in agriculture or the management of other affairs, seems to have been characteristic of this family through nearly all its representatives. Grandfather Weaver owned a large plantation in Culpepper county, Virginia, near Culpepper Courthouse, and died there in 1863, when about ninety-nine years of age. While he was a southerner, he apparently had little sympathy with the institution of slavery, and is said to have freed a great many salves, giving each one a horse, bridle and saddle, and sending them north to Richmond, Indiana, the old Quaker community, where as freedmen they were able to begin life anew. Henry Weaver was married in Virginia to Miss Christler, who was born in that state, where her family had long lived. She died some years before her husband. Both were people of the finest morality and Christian character, members of the Lutheran faith, and were constantly engaged in a work of service to their fellow men. Of their seven sons and two daughters all are now deceased, but the children were long lived, and most of them were more than eighty years of age when death came. They married and had families, and their descendants are now found in many states.

Of the children of Henry Weaver and wife, one was Albert Christler Weaver, father of James D. He was born in Culpepper county, Virginia, in 1817, grew up in that vicinity, and learned the trade of miller, millwright and millstone dresser. From Virginia he moved north to Ross county, Ohio, and in 1847 established a home in Indiana. His trip to Indiana was made across country, and it required a hard struggle to get through the woods to the eighty acres which he had selected for a home. Two hundred dollars was the price paid for that land, and he and his family took shelter in a little log cabin which occupied a cleared space among the trees. There he literally dug out the stumps and underbrush, and made a farm as the result of strenuous labor. One of his first acts after reaching the homestead was to plant a small orchard of three or four acres. Those fruit trees proved a boon to the home and also to the community, and the apples and other fruits grown there were long celebrated in that neighborhood. The surroundings were all wild, and it is said that when some neighbors killed a beaver and Mr. Weaver carried a portion of it home in the evening it was necessary to keep a hickory torch lighted in order to scare away the wolves which were attracted by the scent. But fresh beef was a luxury, and most of the larder was supplied by the abundance of wild game which existed in the woods and on the prairies and could be had by any ordinary hunter. This pioneer settler was noted among many other things for his fine markmanship. A story that is related of him tells how he killed with one bullet from his trusty rifle eight wild turkeys. He dug a trench, scattered corn in it, and concealing himself allowed a number of turkeys to collect along the trench, then whistled, and when all had raised their heads out of curiosity he took aim and his shot brought down eight fowls.

Few of the early Indiana settlers were so successful either as farmers or business men as Albert C. Weaver. As a manager and director of the labors of others he had few superiors. His landed possessions at one time aggregated six hundred acres. When fifty years of age he left his farm and moved to Dunkirk in Jay county, and there went into business as a general merchant with his son Newton G. Their enterprise prospered, and its management had some points worthy of note. They employed several clerks, getting boys from the country to perform the work, and all the money collected during the day was deposited in a drawer at night, and there was never a case of dishonesty or irregularity in the conduct of the business. Albert C. Weaver had never received any mercantile training, and when he started the store he used his splendid common sense to guide him. He was a successful overseer, and while he never bought or sold a dollar's worth of goods himself, he saw to it that his subordinates were well instructed in the manner of how to do it, and his management was such that he made his fortune as a merchant. His death occurred in Dunkirk in 1902.

The late Albert C. Weaver was a man of very ripe knowledge, possessed rare judgment, and his influence could not otherwise be but extremely helpful to any community. For many years he was regarded as one of the leading Democrats of Jay county, though never a politician, and exerted his influence only in behalf of his friends and for the sake of good government.

In Ross county, Ohio, he was married to Elizabeth Wiltshire, who was a native of Virginia, and who died when past sixty years of age in Dunkirk. Her fine qualities of womanhood were not less remarkable than her husband's many virtues. She did much to rear her children carefully and prepared them for lives of usefulness. There were six children, of whom James. D. was the oldest. Henry W., who now lives in Dunkirk a retired farmer, has a wife and children; John W., who died in Dunkirk in 1912, was for many years his father's successor in merchandising, and left a family; Newton G., who is a retired business man of Hartford City, is married and has a family of children; Mary F., who died without children as the wife of A. S. Hartman, and her husband by a second marriage has two children; Cornelia S., died unmarried when about twenty-five years of age.

James D. Weaver, who was the only one of the children born in Ohio, first saw the light of day in Highland county, February 20, 1845. After a few years his parents moved to Delaware county, Indiana, in 1847, and he grew up on a farm in the midst of the wilderness which then prevailed in Niles township of that county. After becoming of age he started life on his own account, and was for years a farmer, combining in later years a grocery store with his farming, and was the first and last postmaster of Niles Post office. He was able to retire in 1908 with a substantial prosperity. In that year he moved to Hartford City and bought his present home at 300 Conger street, where he is now enjoying life with none of the cares of business. Besides some property interests in Hartford City, Mr. Weaver owns a well developed farm of forty-five acres in Blackford county.

Mr. Weaver was first married in Niles township of Delaware county to Miss Rebecca Worster. She was born of one of the good old families of Delaware county, and died ten years after her marriage. There were four children: Amos A., who is married and lives in Dunkirk and follows the business of glass worker, spent three years as a soldier during the Cuban and Philippine wars and was a non-commissioned officer. William died at the early age of seventeen in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Elwood M., who has been twice married and has a son and two daughters by his first wife, was a farmer for a number of years, but now is in business in Dunkirk. Oscar D. enlisted and saw service in Cuba during the Spanish-American war, and afterwards entered the service for the Philippines, and remained in those islands two or three years; he was wounded in the arm while in Cuba; at the present time he makes his home with his family in a houseboat on the Ohio river, and spends most of his time as a fisherman.

Mr. Weaver for his second wife married at Dunkirk, Mrs. Mary J. McMullen, whose maiden name was Salsbury. She was born in Greene county, Ohio, and grew up there and in Jay county, Indiana. Her father died from illness contracted while serving with an Ohio regiment in the Civil war. Mrs. Weaver first married John McMullen, who was a veteran of the Civil war and died of consumption several years after the close of that war. There were three McMullen children: Harry W., Hattie B., and Frederick Greer, all of whom are married and have families. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver are both members of the Methodist church, and as a practical religious worker Mr. Weaver also affiliates with the Salvation Army.

PHILIP H. JOHNSON. Of the younger generation of farmers whose efforts promise to lend vigor and prestige to the future of Blackford county, one of whom more than passing mention is due, is Philip H. Johnson, who is the owner of a well-cultivated tract of land in section 15, Washington township. Mr. Johnson comes of an old and prominent family of Ohio, his grandfather, Detrick Johnson, being a native of the Buckeye state. He grew up there and was married, and began his active career as a farmer, but during the latter �forties or early �fifties came to Indiana, where he entered land from the government, and from the wilderness developed a good and productive farm. He accumulated 160 acres, on which he erected a substantial home and other buildings, became known as one of the solid and successful men of his community. His widow survived him some years, but both were well advanced in age, although but little is known of these pioneers save that they were rugged, sturdy and God-fearing. The grandfather met his death as the result of a runaway accident. A brother of the grandfather, Lemuel Johnson, came to Indiana at the same time, developed a valuable farm, was married and at the time of his death, in 1909, left a large family.

William Johnson, the father of Philip H. Johnson, was one of six sons and three daughters, namely: John; William; Dr. Emanuel, a physician of Lima, Ohio, who is married and has a single daughter; Lemuel, a resident of Grant county; Thomas and James, deceased; Mary A., who is the wife of Henry Roy, of Marion, Indiana, and has a family; Eliza, who is the wife of James Crevenston, and lives at Converse, Indiana, the mother of two sons; and Maggie. William Johnson was born in 1855, in Grant county, six miles west of Marion. He was there reared and married a Wabash county girl, Leah Bradley, who was born, reared and educated there, a daughter of Ohio parents who spent the latter years of life in Wabash county and there died well advanced in years. All the children of William and Leah Johnson were born in Grant county, but later he went to Howard county, where he resided for some years and was the owner of 207 acres of land. He is still the owner of 143 acres in the vicinity of Marion, in which city he and his wife are now living retired, hale and hearty, and surrounded by the comforts which their honest and industrious lives have brought. In the fall of 1910, Mr. Johnson purchased 160 acres of land in section 15, Washington township, Blackford county, where his son, Philip H. Johnson, now resides, and which he is operating most successfully, growing the various cereals, fine grades of swine and staple grades of stock. He has good farming utensils, substantial buildings and improvements of the best type, and largely through his own industry and energy has made one of the finest farms in his part of Grant county.

Mr. Johnson was born in Grant county, Indiana, December 16, 1879, and was educated in then public schools of Sycamore, Howard county, where he resided for some years. Subsequently, he returned to Grant county, where he was married to Miss Susie Bowman, who was born in Wabash county, in 1881, and died December 18, 1904. One daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, namely: Edna L., born February 9, 1902, who resides at home and is attending the public schools. Mr. Johnson was married at Marion, Indiana, to Mrs. Gladys (Hipp) Krebs, who was born at Warsaw, Indiana, October 28, 1880, educated there and in Fulton county, and married Joseph Krebs, who was born July 27, 1878, at Peru, Indiana. They became the parents of two daughters: Silva M., born February 4, 1900, and now attending high school; and Lagretta, born May 23, 1904, who lives with an aunt at Marion. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, namely: Everett D., born July 10, 1911; and Lester L., born May 27, 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Mr. Johnson is a democrat, but has been too busy with his farming interests to engage actively in political matters.

Deb Murray