Blackford County Biography Ref. Page

ZIMRI C. OSBORN. The Osborn farm in section three of Fairmount township is one of the old estates of Grant county, and has been the home of Zimri C. Osborn for nearly forty years. He comes of a family which has been identified with eastern Indiana, since pioneer days and is himself a Grant county native, whose memory goes back to the years before the first railroads were constructed in this locality. It has been his privilege to witness a remarkable development of all the modern facilities of life and industry, and in his home community his part has been that of an industrious, honorable, and intelligent citizen.

The Osborn family back in North Carolina, lived either in Randolph or Guilford county. His grandfather Peter Osborn was born in one of those counties, owned some land and did farming on a small scale, but his regular occupation was that of skilled mechanic and wheelwright. His life was prolonged to old age, and he passed away in his native county and state. His brother Charles Osborn was one of the most famous Quaker preachers in the early part of the nineteenth century, and extended mention of his career is printed in many books and can be found in standard collections of early American biographies.

Peter Osborn married a North Carolina girl, and they had a number of children.

Henry Osborn, father of Zimri C. was born in North Carolina, May 9, 1804, grew up in his native county, acquired a large part of his father's genius for mechanics, and while never following the trade regularly was able to make anything that could be fashioned with carpenter's tools. Practically all his household furniture was manufactured by his own hands. He married, in North Carolina, Miss Mary Parson, who was born in that vicinity, and died in Grant county, Indiana. Her mother was a member of an old-school Baptist church. Mary Osborn was born about 1810, and was the second wife of Henry Osborn. His first wife was Miss Wheeler, who died a few years after their marriage, leaving a son, Alveron. By the second marriage Henry Osborn and wife had one son, Jonathan, born in North Carolina. Then, with his wife and two sons, he started north, and one horse drew the wagon across the Blue Ridge Mountains and over the long distance intervening between North Carolina and Indiana. After a journey of some five of six weeks, they landed in Fairmount township, of Grant county, finding a location between Glacier Lake and the Mississinewa River. There he lived on the old McCormick land, and also entered forty acres of government land. Later, by trading and purchase, he acquired property near the village of Fairmount, where he and his wife spent the rest of their days. Henry Osborn died in 1886, at the age of eighty-two, and his wife survived and passed away when seventy-eight. Their church was the Methodist, and for some years he had been a class leader. They were honored and substantial people, always held in high respect in their community. Henry Osborn is remembered as a skilled Nimrod, and the old gun with which he had killed many deer, wild turkey, and other game, is now owned as a prized heirloom by his son Zimri. In politics he was most of his life a Democrat. The children of Henry Osborn were as follows: Alveron, mentioned as the child of his first marriage, enlisted as a Union soldier, and died of illness while in Kentucky, leaving a wife and children. Jonathan, the first child of the second marriage, was born in North Carolina, was married four times, and had children by two of his wives; he died at the age of sixty-two. Emeline became the wife of William G. Lewis, prominent among the old settlers of Grant county and equally noted as a hunter, a class leader and preacher in the Methodist church, having assisted in the organization of the church in Fairmount township, and as a farmer. William G. Lewis died about five years ago, while his widow is still living. Louisa J. first married James G. Payne, and is now Mrs. Charles Thom of Fairmount township, and is the mother of a number of children. Emma and John both died in childhood. William whose home is in Missouri has children by his first wife. The seventh child is Zimri C. Rachael died in the prime of life after her marriage to Milton Brewer, leaving no children.

Zimri C. Osborn was born in Fairmount township, March 2, 1845. His early training was received in this locality and his education was acquired by the somewhat primitive country schools of that day. All his life has been spent in Fairmount township, and farming with him has been a business pursued both profitably and pleasantly. In 1875 he bought the land in his home farm, amounting to one hundred and ten acres, lying in section two and section thirty-four, his residence being on section two. The improvements are of the best class, including a good eight-room house and a large barn, and one of the features about the place which distinguishes it from many of its neighbors is a large orchard, where he raises quantities of apples, peaches, plums, cherries, etc. His general crops are oats, wheat and corn, and he feeds most of them to his own stock.

Mr. Osborn was first married in Fairmount township to Miss Nancy Leach, daughter of John Leach. She was born in this section of Grant county, May 17, 1849, and died at her home, May 24, 1893. She belonged to the Methodist Protestant church. Her children were as follows: John, a farmer in Rush county, Indiana, who married Clara Dugan, and they have one son, Luther. William, who lives on a farm in Fairmount township, married Lela Davis, and they had one son, Clyde, now deceased. Emeline, died at the age of three months. Louisa is the wife of Ellsworth Smith, a farmer, and their three children are Claude, Rosa, and Evert. Jane, is the wife of John Ayers, of Rush county, Indiana, a farmer, and they have as children, Maybell, Edna, and Irene. Cooper is a farmer in Whitley county, Indiana, and by his marriage to Ida Cash has four children, Arthur, Roy, Jesse, and Edna. Edmond whose home is in Fairmount township, married Nora Kirkpatrick and has a son Charles. Rachael, who lives with her father is the widow of Frank Monohan, and her two children are Ovid and Gladys.

The present wife of Mr. Osborn was a Georgian girl, Miss Martha Blair. They were married December 9, 1897. Mrs. Osborn was born in Georgia, in 1852, was reared and educated there, and her parents were Huston and Eliza (Yarber) Blair. Her father was born in Tennessee in 1831, and died in Georgia, in 1910, while her mother was born in South Carolina in 1823, and died in 1885. They were members of the Missionary Baptist church, in which Mr. Blair was a deacon. Mr. and Mrs. Osborn are both very prominent members and workers in the Methodist Protestant church of Fairmount township. Mr. Osborn has been a class leader, exhorter, and is the oldest member of the society in this locality, having taken much part in the organization and the upbuilding of the church for many years. In politics he is a Prohibitionist.

"BLACKFORD AND GRANT COUNTIES INDIANA, A CHRONICLE OF THEIR PEOPLE PAST AND PRESENT WITH FAMILY LINEAGE AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS"; Complied Under the Editorial Supervision of BENJAMIN G. SHINN; vol. II ; THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY; CHICAGO AND NEW YORK; 1914
Submitted by:Peggy Karol and Karen Overholt

WILLIAM KEEVER. The Progress Farm is the name of the rural homestead occupied by William Keever and family in section six of Fairmount township, on the rural delivery route number twenty-one out of Fairmount. The place is well named and progressive methods are everywhere in evidence. Mr. Keever applies business sense and judgment to every operation on his estate and few business houses in Grant county are ran any more systemstically or with greater net profit according to the investment than the Progress Farm. The Keever family have been identified with Grant county for more than seventy years, and a number of its members are well known citizens.

The grandfather of William Keever was Adam Keever, a native of Pennsylvania, of old German stock which settled in that province probably during the early colonial era. Adam Keever grew up on a farm, took that on his occupation and married a Pennsylvania girl.

The most, if not all of their children were born in Pennsylvania. About the year 1828 Adam Keever and family moved west and located for some years in Ohio and later became pioneer settlers in Randolph county, Indiana, where he entered land, improved a farm from the wilderness, and died there at the venerable age of eighty-eight years. His first wife had died many years previously, at the age of sixty. By a later marriage Adam Keever had two children.

Daniel C. Keever, a son of Adam and father of William Keever, was born in Pennsylvania, July 3, 1816, and was twelve years of age when the family came to Ohio. He was the oldest of three sons, his two brother being Adam Jr., and George. There were a number of sister. Daniel C. Keever was reared in Randolph county on his father's farm, and after becoming of age married Elizabeth J. Asher. While he came from Pennsylvania, her birthplace was in the old commonwealth of Virginia, where she was born January 18, 1819, a daughter of Virginia people who moved to Randolph county, Indiana, among the early settlers there. Elizabeth at the time of this removal was a child. Later her parents moved to Ohio, and died in Fayette county, when in old age. They were in religion Methodists. The marriage of Daniel C. Keever and wife occurred about 1840, and in that year they moved to Grant county. The county was still new and undeveloped, much of the land had never been touched by the hand of civilization, and Mr. Keever entered one hundred and sixty acres in Monroe township. His industry resulted in the improvement of an excellent farm and he continued a prosperous farmer, quiet citizen and a man of influence until his death in 1895. His wife preceded him in death on September 12, 1876. In many respects Daniel C. Keever was a remarkable man. Without educational advantages, his native ability enabled him to succeed far above the average, and he was never at disadvantage in his association and relations with his fellows. By his industry and good judgment, he accumulated an estate of six hundred acres, and died comparatively wealthy. In local affairs his influence was strong, and he was during his career one of the best known Republicans in Monroe township, assisting many of his friends to office, though never an aspirant for political honors himself. His judgment was often trusted in the settlement of estates, and in other ways much honor was shown to him by his fellow citizens. During the early years of the family residence in Grant county, his wife showed her individual capability as a good pioneer housemother by spinning and weaving practically all the clothes worn by members of the household. She was especially skillful in this kind of work, and some of the articles made by her still kept as precious heirlooms by her descendants. One or two of those articles now existing are sixty years old, and Mr. William Keever has one example of her handiwork. Daniel Keever was a Quaker in religion and his wife probably held to the same convictions.

Mr. William Keever was the fifth in a family of eight sons and one daughter, and their names and brief mention of their individual careers are given as follows: 1. Addison, who died July 11, 1913, in Upland, Grant county, was a retired farmer during his latter years and left two children. His widow still resides at Upland. 2. Martin, now living retired on his farm in Smith county, Kansas had ten children, his wife being now deceased. 3. Eliza, died at the age of thirteen years. 4. George, who died December 8, 1912, lived some years as a retired farmer in Smith county, Kansas, and his widow still has her home there, the mother of eleven children. 5. John is a farmer on the old homestead in Monroe township, and had three children, one of whom is now deceased. 6. William is next in order of the children. 7. Frank, who is married and a farmer in Monroe township, has four children living. 8. Walter, now lives in Upland, a retired farmer, and has two sons and two daughters. 9. Elmer is still actively engaged in farming in Monroe township and has one son.

William Keever was born on his father's farm in Monroe township, February 15, 1852. His early training was that of a farmer, and the facilities of the common schools in his neighborhood supplied him with his book learning. Since he reached his majority all his energies have been directed along the line of farming, and he has been a resident of Fairmount township since 1879. In that year he bought one hundred and thirteen acres of fertile land, though with few improvements, in sections five and six. Years of toil and good management have made this a beautiful and valuable estate. There are two large barns, one for stock and one for grain. With the exception of twelve acres of native timber, all the land is in cultivation, and there is practically no waste land, and everything responds to the enterprising management of Mr. Keever. The character of substantial comfort is everywhere evident, and a large house of ten rooms nicely painted white is the pleasant home of the Keevers. Almost every kind of cereal crops is grown on his land, with a high average of production per acre.

Mr. Keever was married in Jefferson township of Grant county to Miss Sarah E. Marine, who was born in that township, September 12, 1858, and educated there. Her parents were Jonathan and Mary (Forehand) Marine, the former born in Wayne county, Indiana, May 26, 1831, and the latter in Grant county in 1842. Mrs. Marine died in 1865, both she and her husband being Quakers in religion. Their respective parents came to Indiana from North Carolina. Mr. Marine, who is still living, though now retired, making his home with Mrs. Keever, has had a life of industry as a farmer, passed chiefly in Jefferson township. He has been three times married and all his wives are now deceased. Mr. Marine in politics is a Democratic voter.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Keever are: Iva E., is the wife of Omer Harris, now a farmer in Delaware county, Indiana, and they have a daughter, Irene. Auda Jay is a graduate of the University of Michigan in 1907, was at once admitted to the bar, and has since been in successful practice of his profession at Jonesboro, this county. He married Etta Gift, but they have no children. Hanson, who was educated in the public schools of Grant county, is a farmer in Sims county, married Cora Michales and has a daughter, Margarite. Ethel is the wife of Burnett Alred, and lives in Fairmount city. Two of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Keever died in infancy, one of them being named Cleo. For their church affiliation Mr. and Mrs. Keever worship with the Friends, and in politics he is a Prohibitionist.

MILTON T. COX. In section thirty of Fairmount township is located a small rural farmstead of eighteen acres, which might well be considered a model of its kind, and one of the most profitable and best managed small farms in Grant county. It is the home of Milton T. Cox and family. Mr. Cox was born in the vicinity of Fairmount, December 20, 1854, of an old family whose members will be noted in the following paragraph. Mr. Cox has always lived within a few miles of his birth-place, which was in Liberty township, and has devoted himself to general farming, but with special attention to fruit growing. The Cox farm has almost every variety of fruit that can be grown in this section. There are not haphazard methods employed on the Cox place, and every bit of ground is put to some profitable use. Mr. Cox has a considerable part of his farm in orchards, and has done much in the way of growing small fruits. Throughout this section of the county, the Cox farm is known as Fruitland. In the midst of the perfect bower of trees which surround it, stands a fine modern dwelling of a quiet drab color, and containing eight rooms. Mr. Cox built this home in 1903. As a man who has succeeded well in his chosen industry, Mr. Cox is of the opinion that fruit growing is very profitable when properly handled, and is an industry which has been much neglected and should receive more attention in this favored climatic region of Indiana.

The grandparents of Milton T. Cox were Joshua and Rachael Cox, both natives of Randolph county, North Carolina, and Quakers in religion. They reared their family in the same faith. In 1830, the grandparents accomplished the long journey westward to Indiana, and settled in Morgan county, where they improved some land from the wilderness in the vicinity of Monrovia. There Joshua Cox died a few years later when in middle life. His widow survived him some ten years, and died at the old homestead about 1846.

In the meantime, their son William, the father of Milton T. Cox, had grown up and settled in Grant county. William Cox was born in North Carolina in 1824, and was six years of age when the family moved to Morgan county, Indiana. He was twenty-two years of age when his mother died, and had been recently married. There were no railroads between Grant county and Morgan county at that time, and the only means of travel were by horseback. When the news came of the impending death of his mother, he and his young wife mounted on the back of their only horse, and rode as rapidly as possible to the old home in Morgan county, hoping to see her before her death. The distance was nearly ninety miles and, owing to the slow progress of their horse, they arrived after the burial. William Cox had been reared in Morgan county, and when about twenty years of age came to Grant county to visit his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Reeder, well known old pioneers of this section. While in their home he was introduced by his uncle to Betsey or Elizabeth Wilson. Miss Wilson was the belle of that neighborhood, and while she had numerous suitors among the country youth of Grant county, she soon acknowledged her attraction and choice of the stranger, William Cox. The latter went home to Morgan county, but did not remain long and soon came to Grant county to claim Miss Wilson as his wife. Elizabeth Wilson was born in North Carolina in 1826, a daughter of John Wilson, who brought his family north to Indiana, and located in Fairmount township in 1836. There John Wilson and wife lived the rest of their lives, and died when quite old. After their marriage William Cox and wife started life as farmers in a log cabin home in Liberty township. Their equipment was exceedingly limited, and, as already stated, they had only a single horse to perform the labors of cultivation. Their lonely cabin was situated on the edge of an Indian reservation, sparsely settled by white people, and it requires little imagination to understand how completely both the young girl and her husband were shut out from all social privileges and advantages. They were surrounded by the wilderness and wild animals still roamed at large, their horse being frequently frightened at night by the screams of a panther which skulked about the home. A few years later he bought and improved a farm in Fairmount township which he sold, then bought another homestead in Liberty township, and there continued his labors until he had made a splendid farm, well up to the standards of Grant county at that time. He was the owner of one hundred acres, and the united industry of himself and wife brought it to rank among the best country estates in the township. In 1873, William Cox built a fine brick house, considered at that time one of the best in the county. There they lived the remainder of their peaceful lives, and his death occurred January 25, 1901, while she survived him only few months and passed away June 12th of the same year. Both were members of the Quaker church, but were not married in the church, as required by the church rules, the ceremony being performed by his uncle, Spencer Reeder, who was a Justice of the Peace. They refused to express sorrow for the act and were disowned by the Society, and subsequently he and his wife became charter members of the Wesleyan Methodist church at Upper Back Creek. They both gave their allegiance to that faith throughout the remainder of their lives.

Milton T. Cox was reared and educated in a substantial way, had the environment of a good home and upright parents, and started out in life as a farmer and fruit grower. On November 24, 1881, in Fairmount he married Miss Martha E. Petty, who was born in Henry county, Indiana, June 9, 1862. She moved with her parents, Robert and Rachael (Vestal) Petty, to Madison county, Indiana, in 1870. In 1876 the family came to Grant county, locating on a farm near Little Ridge, in Liberty township. Her father, though not a land owner, was a very successful farmer. Her father died at the home of a daughter in Indianapolis, May 14, 1900, while the mother passed away January 8, 1898, at Summitville, in Madison county, Indiana. For a number of years they had worshipped in the United Brethren Church, but their last years were spent as Methodists.

The children of Milton T. Cox and wife are mentioned as follows: Muriel Joy, born March 2, 1885, was educated at Fairmount, and is the wife of Ernest T. Pearson of Indianapolis, and they have one son, Leonard E., born January 19, 1905. Eva Delight, born March 23, 1888, married Thomas Jenkins of Indianapolis, and their two living children are: Ronda, born December 5, 1907, and Ruth, born November 3, 1909. Garfield Vestal, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Cox, was born May 4, 1893, and though but twenty years of age has made a splendid record for himself. Educated in the Fairmount high school and academy, he received the highest grade issued by that institution, and is now a student in the Earlham college. Garfield Cox has prepared the article on forestry published in this history of Grant county. From early boyhood his interests and tastes have gone to trees, and he has won laurels in state work on forestry. He is also an orator of no mean ability, and while a sophomore in Fairmount Academy won the oratorical contest among the Friends Academics of the state of Indiana and Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Cox are both members of the Wesleyan Methodist church.

WILLIAM A. BEASLEY. After a long and honorable career as a merchant in Fairmount, Mr. Beasley is now enjoying the peace and quiet pursuits of country life at his home in section thirty of Fairmount township, on the old Thomas estate. Mr. Beasley bought the Thomas farm on retiring from business, and thus enjoys ownership and occupancy of one of the landmarks in this section of Grant county. A large and comfortable brick house was constructed many years ago by Mr. Thomas, and the brick and sand entering into its construction were both materials taken from the farm, and manufactured on the place. The success of Mr. Beasley in business affairs has been equaled by his influential and public spirited citizenship, and his reputation has always been that of a reliable upright citizen, ever ready to do is part in bearing community responsibilities, and forwarding enterprise for the local good.

William A. Beasley is a grandson of George W. and Sarah (Stanley) Beasley. It is not known where these grandparents were born, but they were probably married in Tennessee, and most of their lives were spent on a farm east of Petersburg in Lincoln county, Tennessee. Finally they settled just outside the town limits of Petersburg on the west side, and died there, the grandfather when about seventy, and the grandmother when about sixty-seven years of age. They were farmers by occupation, members of the Methodist church and thrifty and esteemed people. Of their children, the following record is made: Anderson, deceased; Thomas, who is still living; William, deceased; George; John, father of the Fairmount citizen; Martha, deceased; Catherine; Tina; Louella, deceased. All these children grew up and were married and most of them had their homes in Tennessee. Those now deceased all passed away in that state.

John Beasley, who was second in order of birth, was born near Petersburg, Tennessee, in 1840, and died there in 1864, when only twenty-four years of age. His active career was spent in farming. He married in his native locality, Miss Susan E. Keith, who was born in Lincoln county, Tennessee, about 1840, and died in Fairmount, March 11, 1911. After the death of her first husband she never married. Her parents were Francis W. and Bethia (George) Keith, both natives of Tennessee, where they were farmers and Methodists and died when quite old. In 1875, Mrs. John Beasley brought her only son William to Indiana, being preceded to this state by her sister and husband, Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Brown. In 1879, she came to Fairmount.

William A. Beasley was born in Lincoln county, Tennessee, April 11, 1864, and practically all his education was obtained after he came to Grant county. His advantages were quite liberal while he was growing up, an he took a full course in the city schools. His first business experience was as a partner with J. H. Wilson at Fairmount, but after a year he sold his interest to Mr. Wilson and then became a clerk for Ezra N. Oakley. His connection with Mr. Oakley continued for six years, at the end of which time he bought a drug store, and during the first year was in partnership with Edward Cassell. Mr. Cassell was then unfortunately drowned, and Mr. Beasley bought all the interest and conducted the store as sole proprietor for twenty-three and a half years. In the meantime he had prospered steadily, and when he sold his business he possessed the means of enabling him to put some of his long-cherished plans, principal among which was the acquisition of a place in the country. Thus in 1913, having bought the Thomas estate west of the city of Fairmount, he moved to that old home, and now has a fine farm of one hundred acres. He gives all his attention to the management of this estate, and is applying the business judgment and ability acquired through a long experience as a merchant to the cultivation of land, and its resources.

In Fairmount township Mr. Beasley married Miss Emma Rush, a daughter of Rev. Nixon Rush, whose career is detailed on other pages of this work. Mrs. Beasley was born, reared, and educated in Fairmount township and city, and completed her education at the Fairmount Academy. She is the mother of six children, namely: Zola B., was educated in the Fairmount high school and academy, the Earlham College, and the Marion Business College, and is now taking a special normal course at Rochester, New York; Myron R., is a graduate of the Fairmount high school, the Marion Business College, and is assistant teller and bookkeeper for the Farmers Trust & Savings Bank at Marion; Oren Keith, died at the age of fourteen months; Frank Adrian, is a member of the Fairmount Academy Class of 1915; John Otis, is a student in the Fairmount Academy; and Louisa Elizabeth is in the public school. Mrs. Beasley and children are members of the Friends church.

Deb Murray