Blackford County Biography Ref. Page

JOHN SMITH. For many years one of the most prosperous farming men in the county, John Smith, with the organization of the Upland State Bank, stepped into the office of president of that young financial institution, and he has since continued in his dual capacity of farmer. Some time after her husband's death Mrs. Peacock sold that farm and later purchased the farm upon which the Peacocks now live. This farm and banker, with equal success in both enterprises. As a well-to-do agricultural man, he is widely known in the county, and his land holdings aggregate something like 525 acres, designated much as follows: The home farm of 210 acres located in section 25 and section 26; forty acres adjoining the home place on the north; forty acres in section 24; and one hundred acres in section 36, making about four hundred acres in Monroe township. He also owns one hundred and twenty acres in Blackford county. The bulk of the land he rents for a yearly cash rental, but the home place of two hundred and ten acres he operates himself. He is also a veteran of the Civil war, having enlisted February 1, 1865, in Company B, 153d Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served until September 4, 1865, when he was discharged at Louisville, Kentucky. Did detached duty during the most of his service.

John Smith was born in the northeast part of Mahoning county, Ohio, on November 15, 1843, and is a son of Thomas and Mary (Leonard) Smith, who reared a family of seven children, as follows: Wesley, of Huntingdon county; John, of this review; Jane, who is deceased; Emily and Lavina, also deceased; Mrs. Maria Smith, a resident of Milford Center, Ohio; and Hiram, of Hartford City. The father of this family, Thomas Smith, moved to Grant county in the spring of 1845 and here entered a tract of government land, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, and the home of John Smith is built upon one forty of this original acreage. The land was a dense wood at that time, and before he was able to build the rude log cabin that sheltered his little family in those early days, he was obliged to cut a road from the nearest settlement through his place. He gradually cleared up the place, and in later years came to be the owner of one hundred and twenty acres in Blackford county, together with another forty adjoining, but he was swindled out of this land through his investment in a railroad line that was projected through these parts. Thomas Smith died July 23, 1876, and his wife passed away January 7, 1901.

Mr. John Smith's progress has been fairly rapid, and at all times certain. No element of chance has entered into his operation, and when he bought a new piece of land, he did so secure in the knowledge that he was getting it at a fair price, and that the top of the market had not yet been reached. When he married in 1873 he was the owner of a 100 acre tract. He soon bought another forty from his father and engaged in potato growing, sometimes having as high as forty acres planted to that indispensable tuber. He has raised as high as four hundred bushels to the acre, but would average about three hundred bushels, which at a market of twenty-five to thirty cents, made money for him every year. He was dubbed the "Potato King" of his locality, and was well entitled to the name. For twenty-five years he devoted himself to the cultivation of this crop, his shipments running well into the carloads each season. He continued to buy land until he had a large acreage to his credit, and as has already been stated, much of the land he rents, confining himself to the cultivation of the home place alone. An example of his thrift in the matter of buying land may be cited in the instance of his purchase, with his brother, of a forty lying on a creek. The price paid was $100 and the consideration was offered in a colt and $50 in cash. This forty, then considered worth little or nothing, is today well drained and worth $100 an acre. Mr. Smith has paid high prices for some of his land, however, much of it coming at $25 and $30, while some of it cost him as high as $50 an acre.

Mr. Smith's home farm is one of the finest in the county, and is likewise one of the best improved and kept up. In 1889 a fine eleven-room house was built on the place, modern in many ways, and decidedly ornamental to the landscape. A beautiful sloping lawn adds to the natural beauty of the place, and numerous barns and other buildings contribute to the general attractiveness of the ensemble.

On February 12, 1874, Mr. Smith was married to Lucy Bocock, the daughter of James and Hester Ann (Shannon) Bocock, of Clark county, Ohio, and Brown county, Ohio, respectively. They were married in Indiana and lived many years in Grant and Blackford counties, this state. They have reared a family of eight children: Raleigh, former principal of the Jonesboro schools, is now assistant cashier of the Upland State Bank; Pluma is at home; Arthur is a furniture dealer in Hartford City; Thana is deceased; Ira, also deceased; Harry A. is a practicing dentist in Seattle, Washington; Charles is a farmer in Monroe township; Lelah is at the Lewis Institute, Chicago, Ill., studying domestic science.

Concerning Raleigh O. Smith, who is assistant cashier of the Upland State Bank, it may be stated that he was born on November 22, 1874, in Monroe township, and received his education in the district schools in Fairmount Academy and Marion Normal College, finishing his training in the State Normal College at Terra Haute, Indiana, in 1906. He began teaching at the age of nineteen in 1894, and taught seven terms in Marion at different times; two terms were taught in Franklin township, and he served as teacher of the Mississinewa schools, finishing his pedagogic service with three years as principal of the Jonesboro High School. In May, 1812, he became assistant cashier of the bank, of which his father's president, and which was organized in 1909.

John Smith is a Republican and is a member of the Friends church, his son Raleigh sharing in his politics and his religion. The parents of Mr. Smith were Methodists, but he embraced the faith of the Friends some years ago, and has ordered his life largely in accordance with the demands of that sect. He is especially enthusiastic on the subject of temperance, and is one of the stanch and true citizens of the community, where he has done his full share in the good work of development and up building.

"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

SAMUEL CHARLES WILSON. A resident in Grant county since pioneer times, large family relationship, with a high character moral and industrious citizenship, strict and active membership in the Friends church, �such are some of the significant attributes attaching to the Wilson family in Grant county. There are a number of Wilson families included within the general scope of the name, but this particular article is concerned with the immediate ancestors and the individual career of Samuel C. Wilson, who is now living retired at his beautiful country home in Fairmount township on section sixteen, and is almost eligible to the Grant county octogenarian club.

If the history of the family were written in detail, it would be found that the first members came over to America with William Penn and assisted that great Quaker in founding and developing the city of Philadelphia. Through all the generations, with hardly an exception, the different members of the families have been orthodox Quakers. Some years after the family was founded, one of its members moved into North Carolina, that being before the Revolutionary war. He located in Randolph county, a county which probably sent more settlers to Grant county, Indiana, than any other eastern locality. There he became one of the organizers and early builder of the Back Creek Quaker meeting. It is not known exactly how many years elapsed between this first settlement and the birth of Joseph Wilson, grandfather of the Samuel C. Wilson of this sketch. Grandfather Joseph Wilson was born in Randolph county, North Carolina, about 1760. His occupation was farming. He was a faithful attendant at the Quaker meeting, and it is related that he would desist his labors in so important an undertaking as a barn raising in order to attend church services. His death occurred in North Carolina, and it is supposed that he was quite old. He was married in his native locality to a Miss Charles, whose family had also for a long time been residents in North Carolina, and of the same strict sect of Friends. At her death she left three sons and two daughters. These children so far as information is obtainable, are mentioned as follows: 1. Samuel, born in Randolph county, was married there to Ruth Thornburg, and came north to Indiana about 1836 or 1837, settling and developing a fine homestead and all that goes with it in Hamilton county, Indiana. His wife Ruth died in Hamilton county, at a good old age, and he then went out to Kansas, where he died shortly afterwards at the home of a son. 2. Henry was born on a North Carolina farm, was married there, and soon afterwards moved to Washington county, Indiana, where he improved a good farm and established his home and family on a substantial basis. His wife died in Indiana, at a comparatively early age, and for his second marriage he was united with a Mrs. Alberson. He had children by his first marriage, as did his second wife, though there was no issue by their second union. 3. Abigail was married in Randolph county, North Carolina, to a Mr. Simons, came to Henry county, Indiana, where both died, after careers of substantial and honorable prosperity. They left a family of children. 4. This was a daughter who married Owen Lindsley, and they moved to Orange county, Indiana, where Mr. Lindsley was a prominent and wealthy man and farmer. It is a curious circumstance that all theses children on coming north to Indiana located in different counties, and all of them in staunch communities of Friends.

The name omitted from the above list of children was John Wilson, the oldest of the five. He was born in the Back Creek Meetings in Randolph county, North Carolina, in 1784. He grew up there on his father's farm, and was married in early manhood to Mary Winslow. She was born in the same section of Indiana, about thirteen years after her husband. Her father, Henry Winslow, later moved to Grant county with his family, that migration taking place late in the decade of the twenties, so that the family was among the earliest in this county. The Winslows bought government land and made a fine farm in Fairmount township, where Mr. Winslow died at a good old age. The Winslow family were prominent members of the Quaker church. John Wilson and his wife after their marriage and after the birth of all their children in Randolph county, set out from their native state in April, 1837, to find a home in the fine old country of Indiana. Their journey was accomplished somewhat in state, and it is evident that the circumstances of the Wilson from a material point of view were more prosperous than those of a great many who settled in Grant county at that early date. A large wagon drawn by four horses carried many of the household possessions and the male members of the family. Behind came a carriage, with the wife and younger children. They journeyed on day after day along the roads, camping out at night and on Sundays, and were several weeks in performing this interesting trip. On reaching Grant county, John Wilson and family located on Section six of Fairmount township. The land had never been broken with the plow, and there were few evidences of the work and industry of civilized man anywhere on the three hundred and sixty acres. With the aid of the sons, this land rapidly was cleared and brought under cultivation, and all members of the household lived happily there until 1856, when John Wilson and wife moved into the town of Fairmount, where his death occurred in June, 1864, lacking only a day of being eighty years of age. His wife afterwards made her home with a son, Milton, in Center township, and died there about 1870 at the age of seventy-two. Both were among the early members of the Back Creek Friends Church in Fairmount township, though they were not among the organizers of that community and took a very prominent part in its affairs.

The children of John Wilson and wife are noted as follows: 1. Jesse E., who died in Fairmount township in 1883 at the age of sixty-seven years, was a farmer, a member of the Back Creek Church, and a charter member of the Fairmount Meeting, married and had a large family of children. 2. Nathan, who died in Fairmount in 1880 at the age of sixty-two, was an early member of the Fairmount Quaker Meeting, and had a family of twelve children. 3. Cyrus died in middle life at the age of forty-five in November, 1864. His home was in Liberty township. He married and his three children are all now deceased. 4. Henry, who died at the age of forty-four in June, 1863, lived in Fairmount township, and had four children. 5. Nancy, who died in April, 1913, at the very advanced age of eighty-nine years, married Elam Doherty, who died a number of years ago. They left three sons and one daughter. 6. Micajah, who died on his farm in Fairmount township, July 1, 1906, at the age of eighty-one married a Miss Neal, also deceased, and there were no children. 7. Elizabeth, better known as Betsey, married William Cox, and a full history of the Cox family will be found under the name of Nathan D. Cox elsewhere in this work. 8. Eliza, who died in 1856, in middle life, was the wife of Eli Neal, who is deceased, and two of their sons are living. 9. John Milton, who was a farmer all his life, spent his last days in Wabash, where he died in 1895, leaving a family of four sons still living. 10. Lindsay, who died May 20, 1906, at the age of seventy-three years and five months, married a Miss Davis, who left five children living. 11. The eleventh in the family is Samuel C. Wilson, and now the only survivor. 12. Abigail was an infant when the family came to Grant county, and died here at the age of nine years.

Samuel C. Wilson was born in the Back Creek Meeting of Randolph county, North Carolina, October 14, 1834. Since he was only two and a half years of age when the family accomplished its memorable journey to Grant county, he naturally remembers nothing of the incidents of that event. On the old farm in Fairmount township, he spent his early days, had a fair amount of schooling, and after his marriage operated a part of his father's estate. In 1864 he moved to section sixteen in Fairmount township, which has now been his home for nearly half a century. There he bought one hundred and three acres of partly improved land, and in 1884 built the fine old homestead which since has sheltered him and his children. From the standpoint of building, it is all very comfortable, and in the best of repairs, and there is not a foot of waste land on the entire farm, a fact which shows his thrifty enterprise in handling the soil. His crops are hay, oats, wheat and corn, also considerable potatoes, and steadily throughout the years his prosperity has been growing so that he has been able to make liberal provisions for himself and his family.

Mr. Wilson was first married in Liberty township of Grant county on April 22, 1857. His marriage was in the Quaker church and according to the attractive Quaker ceremony. His bride was Miss Rachael Overman, who was born in Center township of this county in March, 1842, and who died in October, 1865, without children. On January 10, 1867, in Rush county, Indiana, Mr. Wilson married Elizabeth Jessup, who was born near Carthage in Rush county, October 11, 1842. She died at home in Fairmount township, on the fourth of June, 1913. She was a birthright Quaker, and from 1867 until her death, a period of forty-five years, was one of the active members of the Back Creek Meetings. The children of Mr. Wilson and wife were: 1. Lindsay, born March 9, 1870, was educated in the district schools and at the Fairmount Academy, and has been one of the sturdy farmers of this section for a number of years. In 1911 he became a member of the board of directors of the Fairmount Academy, and as a staunch Republican is also a present member of the County Council. In December, 1894, he married in Fairmount township, Miss Essie Griffin Davis, a daughter of Attorney Foster Davis. Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay Wilson have two children: Dorinda Elizabeth, born in August, 1895, and who graduated a member of a class of forty-four in 1913 and is now at home; Hubert D., born July 31, 1897, a senior in the Fairmount Academy. 2. Jessup, born November 21, 1872, was educated in the Academy, has never married, and is now his father's active manager on the home farm. 3. Thomas, born in 1874, died in 1880. Mr. Wilson and his sons are staunch Republicans and throughout his life he has been a member of the Back Creek Quaker Church. For over twenty-five years he has served on the controlling board of the church, also an elder and a clerk in the monthly meeting for a long time. His long and honorable business career and prominence in church and civic affairs were worthily honored in 1890 with his election to the state legislature in which he served one term.

JOSEPH NEWBY. A fine citizen, who knew farming, who was always ready to bear his share of responsibilities in the community, was the late Joseph Newby, who died at his home in Fairmount township on section sixteen, June 15, 1913. Mr. Newby has spent practically all his life in Grant county, and belonged to one of the earliest families. Joseph Newby was born at the old Newby homestead in Fairmount township on August 21, 1857. He was fifty-six years of age at his death, and just at the climax of his powers and usefulness. His parents were Thomas W. and Sarah (Hill) Newby, both of whom were natives of Randolph county, North Carolina. They were children when their respective parents and families left North Carolina, and came north to Indiana. It was a typical emigration, one made with teams and wagon, and between their departure and their arrival in Indiana many days of travel intervened, and there were many incidents to break the monotony of such a journey. Both families arrived in Grant county towards the close of the decade of the twenties, previous to the organization of Grant county, so that they are very properly classed among the pioneers and founders of civilization in this section of the state. Both the Newbys and the Hills got their first land from the government, and improved homesteads in Fairmount township, were early members of the Quaker church, and lived long and industrious lives. Thomas W. Newby grew up amid pioneer scenes, attended one of the old-fashioned log school houses, such as are described in the general history of this work, and always followed farming. About sixty-five years ago he and his wife were married, and they started out to make their fortune on a farm. There they lived until death closed their quiet and useful careers, he dying at the age of seventy-nine, and she when eighty-six years of age. All the qualities of good citizenship and upright moral and Christian people belonged to Thomas W. Newby and wife. They had six children in their family.

Joseph Newby, who was next to the youngest in the family and the youngest son, received his education in public schools that were considerably advanced above the character of those which his father had attended. After his marriage he settled on eighty acres of land, given him by his father, and thus had a substantial start towards success. He had as his companion a woman who was industrious, thrifty, and very attentive to the household and to the moral training of her children, and under such conditions they steadily prospered. During the thirty years of their residence on the farm in section sixteen of Fairmount township, the eighty original acres grew to one hundred and twenty, and the entire place was well improved in buildings and cultivation. It is an attractive rural estate, and through the shade and fruit trees may be seen the front of the comfortable white house, while an evidence of farming thrift is the good red barn standing near by.

Mr. Newby was married in Delaware county, Indiana, on September 30, 1879, to Miss Laura L. Foster. She was born in Davy county, North Carolina, December 25, 1857, and was ten years of age when her mother brought her to Madison county, Indiana. She was the daughter of Henderson W. Foster, who, though opposed to Secession, was forced to join the Southern army, and in consequence of ill health died a few months after his enlistment at the age of thirty years. Henderson W. Foster married Louise Ribelin, who was born in Davy county, North Carolina, of German parentage. Left a widow with two small children, she joined a party of Friends going north and in 1867 arrived in Indiana. She later married Josiah Winter, and they finally located on a farm in Fairmount township of Grant county. There Mr. Winter died at the age of seventy-nine. In his religious views he was a Dunkard. His widow, who died July 24, 1896, when about sixty-nine years of age, passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Newby. She also in later life affiliated with the Dunkard Church. By her first marriage there were two children, one of them Mrs. Newby, and the other Louisa, the wife of Leroy Horner, of Mill township in Grant county. By his former marriage Mr. Winter had two sons and five daughters, the only one of whom now living is Mrs. Christianna Hist of Madison county, Indiana.

Mr. and Mrs. Newby became the parents of the following children: 1. Harmon T., born March 11, 1882, was educated in the common schools and a business college, and is now in the employ of the Santa Fe Railroad Company at Las Vegas, New Mexico. He married Miss Lillian Withers. They have no children. 2. Arthur W., born November 17, 1884, was educated in the Fairmount Academy and the Marion Business College, and is now managing the home estate for his mother. 3. John F., born October 5, 1887, is a farmer in the township of Jefferson, and married Ethel B. Corn, a daughter of Joseph Corn. They have two children; Grace M., and Ernest A. 4. Mary L., born August 25, 1891, received a good education, attending Fairmount Academy, and is now the wife of James A. Corn, living in Fairmount township. Their children are Laura M., Jason I., and Evert Earl. During his career as a citizen, the late Mr. Newby voted the Republican ticket regularly, and his son has taken up the same political faith. Mrs. Newby is a member of the Methodist Protestant church.

BERT S. TODD. The Todd family has long been identified with Grant county, especially with Liberty township. As farmers and stock raisers, they have been peculiarly successful, and several farms in Grant county brought to their high state of development through the work and management of the Todds. On section twenty-three of Liberty township is the Kewanee Stock and Grain Farm, owned by the father of Bert S. Todd. Bert S. Todd is one of the very progressive and energetic young farmers of Grant county. His home is on the rural free delivery route No. 15, out of Jonesboro, six miles west and three miles south of that town.

Bert S. Todd was born on the farm where he now lives June 11, 1886, a son of John and Mary E. (Powell) Todd. He grew up in this neighborhood, and while living at home and assisting in the farm labors attended the district schools, where he gained a substantial education. On August 31, 1905, Mr. Todd married Eva Kirk, who was born and educated in Grant county. They are the parents of two children, Gladys M., who was born May 27, 1908; and Mildred A., born December 7, 1911. Mr. Todd and wife are active members of the Friends church, Mr. Todd is an elder, and he is a teacher of the young people's class. In politics a Democrat, he has never sought or held office. His home farm consists of one hundred acres, and he has given special attention to the raising of high grade stock. Already the Kewanee Stock & Grain Farm has an established reputation among the farmers of Grant county, and under the enterprising management of Bert S. Todd, its productiveness and value are bound to increase from year to year. Mr. Todd was one of five children, only two of whom are now living. His brother is William D. Todd.

John Todd, the father of Bert S., was born in Rush county, Indiana, October 14, 1843, a son of Andrew J. and Elizabeth (David) Todd. Andrew J. was a son of John Todd, who in turn was a son of John Todd, who immigrated from Ireland to Pennsylvania, many years ago, and died in Mercer county. Andrew J. Todd, moved out to Rush county, and was among the early settlers and died there. Mr. John Todd was reared and educated in Rush county. Previous to his marriage he bought some land in Liberty township, and by clearing and improving made of it a fine estate. He is the owner of one hundred and forty-two acres, most of which has received its value through his personal labors. His wife died May 7, 1906. Mr. John Todd is a member of the Christian church at Normal, Indiana. He is a Democrat, but has never participated in political affairs. Mr. John Todd has been a resident of Liberty township since 1879. His mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth David was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, a daughter of Jacob and Katherine (Rosier) David, who were of German parentage. Jacob David was born in Delaware, and was thoroughly educated in the German and English languages.

Deb Murray