Benton C. BURKETT

        One of the highly honored and successful farmers of the past generation 
in Putnam county whose name should be perpetuated in his country's history 
was Benton C. BURKETT, who was born in 1822 in Russell township, in the 
pioneer days, and he lived to see and take part in the great subsequent 
development of this county. He was the son of Abram and Catherine (HIRE) 
BURKETT, who came form North Carolina very early. They lived to advanced 
ages. Benton C. BURKETT grew up in much the same manner as other children 
of first settlers, learning what hard work meant when but a small boy, and being 
compelled to forego the advantages of higher learning. When he reached 
maturity he married Rebecca NUTGRASS, daughter of Harrison and Nancy 
(JOHNSON) NUTGRASS, of Clinton township, her parents being from Kentucky. 
Rebecca was born in 1830 and she was four years of age when her parents 
settled in the vicinity. 
        Benton C. BURKETT first located in Russell township, and began clearing 
land and developing a farm, adding to his first holdings until he owned about 
twelve hundred acres of valuable land and was regarded as one of the leading 
farmers and substantial citizens of this part of the county in his day and 
generation. All of his land was in Russell township and was so managed as to 
yield him a very satisfactory income from year to year. He also dealt extensively 
in livestock and was successful in whatever he undertook. He had the confidence 
of all his neighbors, which he never betrayed, for he was upright in all his 
relations with his fellow men. 
        The death of this well remembered and influential citizen occurred on 
August 11, 1879, at the age of fifty-seven years, six months and fifteen days. 
Mrs. BURKETT died on August 2, 1894, at the age of sixty-four years, three 
months and one day. they are buried at the old Blakesburg cemetery. They were 
members of the Dunkard church at Ladoga, twelve miles distant; they also 
attended the Little Walnut church, about seven and one-half miles distant. The 
congregation held services frequently at the old Universalist church at 
Blakesburg. 
         To Mr. and Mrs. Benton C. BURKETT eleven children were born, all living 
in this writing, named as follows: Nancy C., commonly known as "Nan," married 
Joseph A. THOMAS, whose sketch appears elsewhere; Rudy H., of Greencastle; 
Sarah E. married Milt BOWERS, of Franklin township; Rachael M. married 
Sanford BALES, of Russell Township; Mary Jane is the widow of Henry CRODIAN 
and lives on a part of her father's land; Sophia A. married Walter GOSLING, of 
Franklin township; F. Marion lives on a part of his fathers estate; Dulcina D. 
married James SKILLMAN, of Franklin township; Susan Edna married William 
OBENCHAINS and lives on the old homestead; Effie B. married Charles 
SHANNON and lives on part of her father's estate; Ida Olivia married Harvey 
GARDNER, of Roachdale. They all live in Putnam county, as do also all the 
Thomas children. 

Submitted by: Joanna Kimbler

KENT WORLEY HUGHES, judge of the Court of Appeals of the Third District of Ohio, is a resident of Lima, and was born in that city.
His father was Charles M. Hughes, who was born in Allen County, Ohio, in 1833. He educated himself for the law, and during the Civil was captain of Company H. of the Eighty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry. After the war he served as prosecuting attorney, was judge of the Probate Court of Allen County, and then became judge of the Common Pleas Court. He died January 10, 1892. Judge C. M. Hughes married Nancy Worley, who was born at Piqua, Ohio, April 8, 1842, and lives with her daughter, Mrs. Belle Steckel, at Bloomfield, Iowa.
Kent Worley Hughes was reared and acquired his early education in Lima, and was a student in Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, until June, 1893. Returning home, he took up the study of law in the offices of W. H. Leete at Lima, continuing his education in the Law Department of the University of Michigan, where he was graduated in June, 1896, and in the same month was admitted to the Ohio bar. In a busy law practice that came to him in a few years he found time for an expression of his public spirit in various ways, but was never a candidate for an important office until 1916, when he was elected for an unexpired term as judge of the Court of Appeals in the Third District, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Michael Donnelly. In November, 1918, he was elected for the full term of six years, and in 1924 was candidate for reelection. He is a democrat in national politics. Mr. Hughes, as a young man became a member of Company C of the Second Ohio Infantry, and was with that unit of the National Guard for seven years before the Spanish-American war. In that war he served with Company C of the Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and after the war became captain of Company K of the Second Ohio Infantry, National Guard, serving with that rank for three years. Judge Hughes is a member of all the Masonic bodies at Lima, is also affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a member of the Church of Christ.
He married at Greencastle, Indiana, in June, 1904, Miss Edith Morris, daughter of Aaron H. and Anna (Harlan) Morris. Her father devoted his active life to the ministry of the Church of Christ, and at one time was superintendent of the Indiana Home for Sailors' and Soldiers' Orphans. Judge and Mrs. Hughes have two children: Helen Ann Hughes, born In July, 1905, and Morris Kent Hughes, born in February, 1907.

HISTORY OF OHIO, The American Historical Society, Inc., 1925 Volume III, Page 415
Submitted by: DustiGen@aol.com

DR. ALBERT C. LANDIS is one of the rising young physicians of Hopeville, and bids fair to rank with the highest among the medical men of Clarke County. Doctor Landis was born in Greencastle, Indiana, August 3, 1854, his father, annanias Landis, being a native of Augusta County, Virginia. He was reared on a farm, and received his elementary education in the common schools of his neighborhood, later attending the Troy Normal at Troy, Iowa. He came with his parents to Iowa in 1860, they locating i Davis County in the fall of that year.Our subject, after completing his education, followed the teacher's profession about ten years, teaching most of the time in Iowa. He went to Minnesota in 1877, returning to Iowa the following year, when he located in Hopeville, and had charge of the schools at that place for four terms. He graduated from the Iowa College of Physicians and Surgeons at Des Moines, March 4, 1884, beginning the practice of medicine April 1, of the same year, and by his strict attention to his duties, he is succeeding well, building up a good practice. The doctor was united in marriage to Miss Lola G. Burns, March 4, 1886.

Clarke County Historical and Biographical Record by Lewis Publishing, 1886. p.171
Submitted by: Lora

Our great grandfather John Riley GORDON was born 23 June 1848, near Bainbridge (Putnam County), Indiana. He was one of seven children of James Smith GORDON and his second wife Ann (or Ada) B. DICKERSON. John also had three half-sisters from his father's first marriage to Sarah BLAKE.

John's father was born in Indiana Territory and his mother in Monroe County, Kentucky. His father was a farmer. John's grandfather James GORDON Sr. was among the first settlers of Putnam County.

John Riley GORDON received his primary education principally at the Bainbridge Academy and graduated from DePauw University [then Indiana Asbury University] in 1872, with B.S. and M.S. degrees. He was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon college fraternity. He received his Law Degree and was admitted to the bar on 31 May 1873. He also was a member of the Grand Lodge of Indiana, Free and Accepted Masons (Freemasons).

In August 1971, the town of Bainbridge purchased the Bainbridge Academy, and it became a public school. John R. GORDON became the first principal of the new school, and his brother Milroy GORDON was the intermediate grade teacher.

From 1872 to 1873, John R. GORDON was principal of the Bainbridge public schools. In 1873, he was elected assessor and real estate appraiser for his township, but before the expiration of his term he was chosen the Putnam County Superintendent of Schools in June 1873. In 1875, at the end of his term as superintendent he again was principal of the Bainbridge schools from 1875, until the spring of 1877, when he began his law practice. He also devoted some of his time to farming, a pursuit in which he was reared.

On 3 December 1874, John Riley GORDON at the age of 26, married Martha A. "Mattie" DARNALL, age 22, in Putnam County, Indiana. There were three children born to their marriage:

€ Benjamin Lowell GORDON. Born 26 August 1875. Married Lulu Pearl EVANS on 4 December 1912. Died 12 May 1946, at age 70, in Sonora (Tuolumne Co.), CA. Buried in Mountain Shadow Cemetery, Sonora, CA.

€ Mary H. GORDON. Born 23 February 1879. Died in Indianapolis (Marion Co.), IN, 27 June 1901, at age 22. Buried with parents in Forest Hill Cemetery, Greencastle, IN.

€ Lucy Lee GORDON. Born 23 February 1884. Married Peter Wingate after 1907. Died 20 December 1962, at age 78, in Los Angeles (Los Angeles Co.), CA. Buried in Valhalla Memorial Park, Los Angeles, CA.

In 1882, John Riley GORDON was elected a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from Putnam County. He was reelected in 1884 and again in 1886. At the Indiana State Democratic Convention in April 1888, just two weeks before his death, he was chosen Chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee.

Tragically, John Riley GORDON'S distinguished life was cut short when he died of pneumonia on 7 May 1888 [there is some discrepancy about the day, but we think it's correct], at only 39 years of age. He died at home on East Washington Street. He left behind his beloved wife Mattie, 36 years old, and their three young children ages 12, 9, and 4 years old, as well as his parents James S. GORDON and Ann B. DICKERSON Gordon. Sadly, his mother was also to die in 1888.

John Riley GORDON was buried in Lot 3, Block 3, Range 9, of Forest Hill Cemetery in Greencastle, Indiana. His obituary in the May 10, 1888, issue of The Greencastle Times newspaper reads, in part:

"Hon. J. R. Gordon died yesterday afternoon at his residence on East Washington Street, at 1:15 o1clock, of pneumonia. His illness began April 26, the date of the Democratic State convention at Indianapolis, where he contracted a severe cold which settled on [sic] his lungs from which he never rallied. He was conscious to the last but for twenty-four hours previous to his death had been gradually sinking. The funeral will occur tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 o'clock from the family residence where short services will be conducted by Elder O. P. Badger. Interment [sic] is Forest Hill..."

"...Mr. Gordon was a good citizen and a model man. The Masonic Lodge and D. K. E. fraternity of which he was a member will have charge of the funeral services. The widow and relatives have the sympathy of the community in their bereavement."

Compiled, written, and submitted by Judy Gordon, 9 January 2001.

Our great grandmother Martha Ann ("Mattie") DARNALL was born, probably near Bainbridge, Putnam County, Indiana, 22 February 1852. She was the daughter of Johnson DARNALL and Martha Ann YATES. As far as we¹ve determined, Martha was the last of nine children born into the Johnson DARNALL family. Her father was a prominent farmer near Bainbridge, Putnam County.

On 3 December 1874, at the age of 22, Martha married John Riley GORDON, age 26. During his lifetime, John was a prominent educator, county assessor and appraiser, lawyer, and three-term member of the Indiana House of Representatives. They made their home in Bainbridge until 1877, when John began his law practice in Greencastle (Putnam County), Indiana. Three children were born to their marriage, Benjamin Lowell (1875), Mary H. (1879), and Lucy Lee (1884).

Tragically, our great grandfather John Riley GORDON died 7 May 1888, of pneumonia, at the early age of 39. Just two and a half years later, at age 38, Martha Ann ("Mattie") DARNALL Gordon died at 8:45 a.m., 11 November 1890, after a two-year bout with consumption (tuberculosis). Her funeral was held, 12 November 1890, at the family residence on Hanna Street in Greencastle, Indiana. She was buried in Lot 3, Block 3, Range 9 of Forest Hill Cemetery in Greencastle, where her husband had been laid to rest in 1888, and her daughter Mary was to join them in 1901.

Martha left behind three children, ages fifteen, eleven, and seven years old. Unfortunately, we have yet to determine what happened to the three young children after Mattie died.

Compiled, written, and submitted by Judy Gordon, 9 January 2001