SAMUEL PECK. For one of its oldest families and most interesting agricultural landmarks, Blackford county is indebted to the late Samuel Peck, who in 1833 rode on horseback from Ohio to Licking township and entered 160 acres of land from the Government in section 1, although it was not until seven years later that he located here permanently. During a period of sixty-seven years Mr. Peck continued to be identified with the farming interests of this part of the state, and through industry, energy and fidelity to duty, won not alone a handsome competency but gained also the unqualified esteem and respect of those among whom he lived for so long.

Mr. Peck was born near Clarksburg, Virginia (now West Virginia), February 23, 1809, and was a son of Joseph and Elsie (Smith) Peck. The father, a substantial Virginia farmer, enlisted for service in the American army during the War of 1812, and when news of his sickness reached his devoted wife, she started on the long journey to Fort Wayne, on horseback and in the midst of a severe winter, to nurse him back to health. The ground was covered with ice and the roads nearly impassable and the trip consumed such a length of time that when Mrs. Peck reached her destination she found that her husband had gone on with his company and she returned to her home. Mr. Peck continued to serve faithfully throughout the period of the war and at its close returned to his home, much broken in health, although he eventually recovered. He died at the advanced age of seventy-eight years, while Mrs. Peck survived him several years and passed away in Ohio. They were the parents of six children, as follows: Marcus, who was an early settler of Niles county, Michigan, became the owner of a large and valuable farm, and in his latter years retired to Cassopolis, Michigan, and there died at the age of past seventy years; Mary, who became the wife of George Davis, located in Athens county, Ohio, and died there when past sixty years of age, leaving a good sized family; Sarah, who married Josiah Higman, spent her life on the old home in Virginia, where the father had owned over 200 acres of land, and at her death left a large family; Burle, who removed to Ohio in young manhood, was there married to Statia Bales, later went to Missouri where he purchased a large tract of land, on which he died, his widow subsequently returning to Ohio with the children and there passed away; Susan, who became the wife of David Carmichael, settled in Niles county, Michigan, reared a large family, and died there when in advanced age; and Samuel.

Samuel Peck was reared on his father's homestead and was given ordinary educational advantages in the public schools. He was an ambitious and self-reliant youth, and when but seventeen years of age deciding to seek his fortunes in the new country to the west, saddled his two-year old colt and rode through the country to Athens county, Ohio, a distance of 190 miles. There when but nineteen years of age he married Miss Susan Shidler, who was born in that county, a daughter of Abram and Ruth (Wood) Shidler. Mr. and Mrs. Shilder had come to Athens county as young people with their respective parents at a very early day, and there met and married, becoming prominent and substantial people of that locality. Mr. Peck continued to be engaged in farming in Athens county for several years, but decided to see if better opportunities did not await him still further to the west, and in 1833 again mounted his horse and rode through to Licking township, Blackford county, Indiana, where he entered a tract of 160 acres of land in section 1, riding on to Fort Wayne to make his entry. He then returned to his home, where he worked faithfully to put his affairs in such shape that he could begin life in the new locality free from debt, and in 1840 brought his wife and eight children to the new land. The family home at first was a small log cabin, but this was later, in 1879, succeeded by a good frame residence, which still stands and is occupied by Mr. Peck's daughter, Rebecca. His tireless and well directed labor was rewarded by the development of a good farm, and from time to time he added to his holdings until he had 225 acres, all of which he put under a good state of cultivation. General farming and stock raising occupied his attention, and each of his ventures proved highly successful, so that when he died, March 27, 1907, he was justly considered one of the most substantial men of Licking township. In every walk of life Mr. Peck proved himself faithful to the trust reposed in him by his fellow citizens. While not a politician, he early attached himself to the whig party and later transferred his allegiance to republican principles and was strong in his advocacy of good men and measures. His community could at all times rely upon him to support beneficial and progressive movements, and no man contributed in greater degree to those things which made for better citizenship. Honest and upright in his business dealings, public-spirited as a citizen, loyal in his friendships, he was a man of whom Licking township had every reason to be proud, and his death was widely and sincerely mourned. Mrs. Peck, who was known for her many womanly qualities, passed away July 23, 1900, in the faith of the New Light Christian church.

Samuel and Susan (Shidler) Peck were the parents of the following children: Marcus, who is eighty-five years of age, lives in Licking township, is married and has one son and three daughters; Abraham, who is deceased, had three sons and one daughter; Susanna, who married David Ballinger, and at her death left four children; Elsie, deceased, who was the wife of Lewis Carmichael and had four children; Mary, living in Hartford City, the widow of Henry Cline, has a son and a daughter; Julia, who married first Farris Bobo, by whom she had seven children, and second P. Welsh, and lives at Hartford City; Cassia Ann, deceased, who married first Mr. Babb, and for her second husband Mr. Minnehal, and had three sons by the latter union; Prudence, who married Mr. Hollingshead, by whom she had a son and a daughter, and as her second husband J. B. Seaman and resides at Dunkirk, Indiana; Peter, who enlisted as a soldier in Company I, One Hundred Thirtieth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Ritter, for service during the Civil War, in a battle before Atlanta was killed by a Confederate sharpshooter; Elizabeth, the wife of William Forman, of Dunkirk, Indiana, a veteran of the Civil War; Elias D., who was born, reared and educated on the old homestead, and died in December, 1883, married Susan Long, of Eaton, Delaware county, Indiana, who died at the age of twenty-six years, leaving a son, Burrell G.; and Rebecca.

Miss Rebecca Peck is one of the most widely known and greatly beloved ladies of Licking township. She was born on the farm which she now owns and operates, a tract of 100 acres, and was carefully reared and educated. She devoted her life to the care of her parents until they died, and has never married. A devoted member of the Methodist church, she has taken an active part in its work, and is also widely known for her charity and kind heartedness. When her nephew, Burrell G. Peck, who was born in October, 1882, was left an orphan, she took him into her home and heart, carefully reared him, and gave him good educational advantages in the public schools and the normal school at Valparaiso, Indiana, from which institution he was graduated with the class of 1905. He has been a credit to her careful and devoted training, and has developed into a successful business man, being engaged extensively in general farming and breeding cattle and swine. Mr. Peck married an Eaton, Indiana, girl, Miss Eva Mitchel, who was also educated at Valparaiso and for some years was a school teacher, and they have one son: Joseph Mitchel, born April 23, 1913.

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

CLARK STEWART. The life record of an honorable, dutiful and upright citizen, a thorough and industrious agriculturist, and an intelligent, patriotic and useful man, is illustrated in the career of Clark Stewart, now a resident of Hartford City. Although Mr. Stewart has reached advanced years and is now living practically retired from business activities, he still takes a keen interest in the surging and stirring life about him, and by reason of a long and consistently active career, in which he won success through his own efforts, is accounted one of the substantial men of Blackford county.

Mr. Stewart is of Scotch ancestry, and belongs to a family that early settled in Virginia. His grandfather, James Stewart, was born in the Old Dominion, about the time of the Revolutionary War, there married a Miss Depaw, and after the birth of several of their children, started overland with teams, crossed the Ohio river at Cincinnati, and settled as a pioneer in Greene county, Ohio, about the year 1812. There Mr. Stewart took up new land from the Government and spent the remainder of his life in the cultivation of the soil and the developing of a home, dying many years before the Civil War, when but a little past middle life. Mrs. Stewart survived him for some years, and died in the faith of the Presbyterian church, of which he had also been a member. Their children were as follows: William, who lived in Greene county, Ohio, and died there when fifty-five years of age, leaving children some of whom are still living: Mary A., who married and passed away in one of the southern states; Eli, the father of Clark Stewart; Martha, who married William Keiser, a farmer of Greene county, Ohio, and died there leaving issue; Rachel, who was married, but whose history has been lost; and Nancy, who married in Ohio and died there, leaving children.

Eli Stewart was born in Virginia, in 1800, and was about twelve years of age when he accompanied his parents on the overland trip to Greene county, Ohio. There his boyhood was passed amid pioneer surrounding, his education being limited to the primitive schools, and on attaining manhood he embarked in farming on his own account, continuing to be engaged therein during the remainder of his life. His death occurred between the years 1850 and 1855. Mr. Stewart was married in Greene county to Miss Sarah D. DeBois, who was born in Virginia, of Scotch ancestry but Virginian parentage, and was a girl when she came to Ohio. Following the death of her husband, Mrs. Stewart moved to Clinton county, Ohio, and in 1852, with her children, Jacob R., Mrs. Percilla Ann Lyon, Clark, Martha J. and Sarah Melissa, came overland with teams to Indiana and purchased a home in Jackson township, Blackford county, and in the development of that wild tract continued to be engaged until her death, in 1857, when she was fifty-seven years of age. She was a faithful member of the Presbyterian church, and a woman of large heart and fine mind. Mrs. Stewart was the mother of the following children: James and Calvin, who died young and were buried in Ohio; Percilla Ann, who became the wife of James Lyon; Sarah, who is the widow of William M. Stahl, and the mother of two children, - Eugene, who is married and lives in Florida, and Cora, the wife of Hugh Beelman of Chicago, Illinois; Jacob R., who married in Randolph county, Indiana, a Miss Silvers and died without issue; Martha J., who died after her marriage to Ebenezer Chaffe, a veteran of the Civil War, who survives and resides in the National Soldiers' Home, and has five children; and Clark.

Clark Stewart was about sixteen years of age when he accompanied his mother, brother and sisters on the overland journey from Ohio, and in Jackson township he completed his education in the public schools and grew to manhood. After becoming of age he purchased the eighty-acre tact of land belonging to the heirs, in section 17, but in 1870 disposed of this land and three years later bought 122 acres of the property which he now owns. To this he added from time to time, until he now owns 280 acres, all in one body, and the majority under cultivation, with excellent improvements, including a comfortable modern residence, and three large and substantial barns, in addition to well-built outbuildings. The land is well drained and fenced, and is equipped with machinery and appliances of the latest manufacture, so that all in all it is one of the model farms of this part of the county, and a monument to the industry, thrift and good management of its owner. In addition to general farming, Mr. Stewart has been extensively engaged in the raising of stock, devoting his attentions largely in this line to Short Horn cattle and mixed swine. A part of his land is devoted to the raising of alfalfa and he also has extensive grass meadows for his large, well-fed and contended herds. For a number of years Mr. Stewart has resided in Hartford City, where he is well known and highly esteemed by all with whom he has come into contact, but has continued to superintend the operations on his land.

Mr. Stewart has an excellent record as a soldier, and bears honorable wounds received while defending his country's integrity. At the first call for three-year men, in 1861, Mr. Stewart became a member of Company I, Thirty-fourth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and received his first real baptism of fire at the fierce engagement at New Madrid. Subsequently he took part in the battles of New Haven and Champion Hills, and at the latter battle received a gunshot wound in the right shoulder and lay on the battlefield for several days before being taken to the field hospital. Later he was sent to Memphis, but the journey was so long and trying that fever set in, following by gangrene, and the limb became practically useless. Mr. Stewart carries with credit this mark of his service as a soldier of his country, and also keeps the bullet that so nearly ended his life. At the end of his three years, Mr. Stewart received his honorable discharge, and returned to his home to resume the activities of peace.

In 1865 Mr. Stewart was married at Muncie, Indiana, to Miss Alice Andrews, who was born in 1840, in Delaware county, Indiana, and educated there, a daughter of David and Rachel (Mansfield) Andrews, early settlers of that county, Mr. Andrews being a farmer and merchant at Muncie. Mrs. Stewart died at her home in Hartford City, October 19, 1899, in the faith of the Christian church, with which she had been connected for years as one of its most active workers. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart were the parents of the following children: Nettie A., who died in 1882, at the age of eighteen years, while still a student; Frank, who is connected with the paper mills of Hartford City, married Carrie Klinger and has five children, - Charles, Nettie, Eppie, Eulita and Jesse Arthur; and Charles and Clarence, twins, the former of whom died at the age of four, while the latter, a stock buyer and shipper and wool buyer of Hartford City, married Lizzie Fox, and has two daughters, Ruth and Hazel, and a son, Clark Stewart, Jr.; Ruth married Guy Gerher, a teacher of Hartford City, and has one son, Richard Johnson, the great-grandson of Clark Stewart. Mr. Stewart married for his second wife, in Hartford City, Miss Eppie McMillan, who was born in Clinton county, Ohio, was well educated, and there became a teacher in the public schools, subsequently going to South Dakota, where she taught for thirteen years. She then came to Hartford City, Indiana, and two years later married Mr. Stewar. She is a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Henry) McMillan, the former born in Virginia and the later in Pennsylvania, and both of whom came as young people to Clinton county, Ohio, where they were married and spent their entire lives. Mr. McMillan was a carpenter and contractor and died at the age of seventy-three years, in the faith of the Quaker church, while his widow, who survived him sixteen years, was seventy-two years old at the time of her demise and passed away in the Lutheran faith.

Mr. Stewart is a republican in political affairs and has taken a prominent part in movements making for the welfare of the community in which he has resided for so many years. He can be depended upon absolutely to support those activities which make for advancement in morality, civic pride, religion and good citizenship, and his influence is helpful and far-reaching. He has shown some interest in fraternal, matters, belonging to the Chapter and Council of the Masonic order, and being treasurer of both of these bodies, and both he and Mrs. Stewart are members of the Order of the Eastern Star. He belongs to Jacob Stahl Post No. 227, Grand Army of the Republic, and Mrs. Stewart has been prominent in the Relief Corps, of which she has been a member and earnest worker since 1885. She is past state department president of the Relief Corps of South Dakota, and is ex-president of the local order of which she is at present secretary. Both she and Mr. Stewart are widely and favorably known in Hartford City, and their friends are as numerous as their acquaintances.

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

JOSEPH W. PIERCE. In Joseph W. Pierce, Licking township has a farmer who conforms his labor to high standards, and who has advanced to prosperity on the homely qualities of industry, good judgment and perseverance. Following the trend of modern ideas, he has also done considerable specializing, and a part of his handsome sixty-acre property is devoted to the raising of a variety of kind of strawberries. He has owned his present farm since 1907 and lived thereon since 1908, but already it is indicative of his individuality, and in every respect is an ideal country home

Mr. Pierce born in Monroe township, Grant county, Indiana, January 6, 1866, and is a son of Drew Binum Pierce. His grandfather, James Pierce, was born in North Carolina, of an honored family of the Old North state, and there married a Miss Sheffield, and about the year 1842 came to Indiana, purchasing a home in Monroe township, Grant county. There he passed the balance of his life engaged in clearing and cultivating his forty acres, and died when about sixty years of age, while his widow survived him about twelve years and was past seventy years old at the time of her demise. They were honorable and honored people and faithful church members, and reared their children to lives of usefulness, industry and integrity. Six children were born to them: Little Berry, Henry, Drew Binum, Elizabeth and two others, and all grew to maturity and were married. All are now deceased with the exception of Drew B. Pierce, who was born in North Carolina, September 1, 1832. He was about ten years of age when he accompanied his parents on the long overland trip from the southern home to the wilds of Indiana, and his boyhood and youth were passed amid pioneer surroundings. He early adopted the vocation of agriculturist as his life work, and has continued being engaged in farming throughout his life, now residing on the farm which formerly belonged to his father-in-law, but which he now owns. He has in all about 180 acres of land, nearly all of which is under cultivation, and in addition to general farming operations carries on extensive stock growing. Mr. Pierce was married in the vicinity of the old homestead in Monroe township to Miss Sarah O. Maddox, who was born in Fayette county, Ohio, February 23, 1838, and was fourteen years of age when she came to this state with her parents, Thomas and Asenath (Yeoman) Maddox. The journey, made with teams, was a slow and tedious one, but the family and their belongings were kept together until reaching the new home in Monroe township. Here Mr. Maddox purchased 900 acres of land, on which he and his wife labored hard to develop a home, and reared a family of ten children. There Mr. Maddox died about the time of the outbreak of the Civil War, while the widow survived him for a long period, living to be past ninety years of age and passing away at the home of a daughter at Marion. She and her husband were the founders of the United Brethren church in Monroe township, and Mr. Maddox filled the pulpit on numerous occasions as a lay or local preacher. The old stock of the Maddox family were whigs and republicans, while the old Pierces were democrats, although Drew B. Pierce has been a republican all of his life. He and his wife are consistent members and steady attendants of the United Brethren church, still being active and alert in spite of their advanced years. They have had a family of eleven children, as follows: Levi O., who died in infancy; Dottie, who died when thirteen years of age; Jane, who is the widow of L. B. Oliver, resides at Marion and has two children, - Warren and Theodosia; J. Thomas, the owner of 200 acres of fine land in Grant county, who is married and has two children, - Olga Drew and B. Lenor; Catherine, who is the wife of Joseph Hoskin, has three children, - Glenn, Maybell and Fred; Asenath, widow of James Rinard, who has two boys, - Roy and Paul; Joseph W., of this review; George W., a resident of Jefferson township, Grant county, who is married to Maggie Turner, of Blackford county, and has a son, - Orval; Dustin, the owner of a large farm in Monroe township, married Ruth Dollar and has two children, - Gale and Dahl; Roy, living on his father's homestead, married Bessie Robb, and has seven children, - Vera, Mildred, Georgia, Harold, Mary, Wilber and an infant; and Charles, a resident of the city of Marion, who married Dora Johnson, and has no issue.

Joseph W. Pierce grew up on the old homestead place and was granted ordinary educational advantages in the schools of his locality, but made the most of his opportunities and qualified as a teacher, following that vocation for some eight years. He then returned to the home farm, upon which he lived until he was past thirty years of age, at which time he was married and came to his present property. Here he has sixty acres of land under a high state of cultivation, devoted to corn, oats and rye, although a part of the farm, as before stated, is reserved for the growing of several varieties of strawberries, in the marketing of which Mr. Pierce has met with gratifying success. On his broad pastures may also be found a fine grade of live stock, Mr. Pierce being a excellent judge of cattle. His property presents a handsome and attractive appearance with its large yellow house and commodious red barn and outbuildings, and everything about the farm is in the best of order, testifying eloquently to the thrift and good management of the owner.

Mr. Pierce was married May 26, 1897, in Blackford county, Indiana, to Miss Ella Rinard, who was born, reared and educated in Harrison township, that county, and prior to her marriage was also a teacher in the public schools. She is a daughter of William and Emma (Shockley) Rinard, old and well-known farming people of Harrison township, and a granddaughter of Doctor Shockley, an old physician of Henry county, where Mrs. Rinard was born and reared. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce have one daughter, Edna, born March 1, 1900, and now a member of the freshman class of the Hartford City High school. Mr. Pierce is independent in his political views, preferring to make his own choice of the candidate he believes best fitted for public service. He has never desired preferment on his own account, but has contented himself with being a good and public-spirited citizen, ready at all times to contribute to the general welfare and advancement of his community.

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

Deb Murray