Prairieton Township
View a history of Prairieton Township.

LAWRENCE S. BALL, physician, Prairieton, was born in Terre Haute, Vigo county, Indiana, March 15, 1820, and made that place his home until 1855. He was educated at the Western Military Institute, at Georgetown, Kentucky, under the Hon. James G. BLAINE, of Maine, who was a professor in the institute, it being an institute of learning and discipline. Hon. Bushrod JOHNSON was also a teacher, and Prof. HOPKINS, from West Point. Mr. BALL commenced study at Georgetown in 1846, and remained there until 1849. In 1853 he attended the medical college at Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduated in 1855, since which time he has been engaged in the practice of medicine at Prairieton. He is permanently located in Prairieton, and keeps the post-office, and in connection with that keeps a stock of drugs, notions, and groceries. He was married at York, Clark county, Illinois, in May 1855, to Miss Francis BURR, of New York, a daughter of Robert H. BURR, a distant relative of Aaron BURR. They have a family of four children, two boys and two girls, all at home but the eldest, who is at Kansas City. Their names are: Edward H., Agnes Preston, and Bertrand. His first wife died in April 1876, and is buried at Prairieton. He was married again in 1878, to Miss Clara KELSEY, of Evansville, Indiana, a daughter of Loring KELSEY, a prominent farmer of that county. He went into the United States service for three months, as captain of Co. F, 54th Ind. Vol. Inf. He served four months, and returned home with his company at the end of their service. He is an honored member of the Methodist church. He has never been an aspirant for office. His father, Dr. Edward V. BALL, was born in Hanover, New York, in February 1800, and came to Crawford county, Illinois, in 1817, and lived there a number of years. He commenced the study of medicine under a Dr. SHULER, and practiced medicine for nearly fifty years. He removed to Terre Haute about 1826, and he was married in 1828 to Miss Sarah E. RICHARDSON, a daughter of Joseph RICHARDSON, and a sister of Berkly RICHARDSON, who died recently in the city of Terre Haute. Dr. Edward V. BALL raised a family of four children: Lawrence S., the subject of this sketch; Caroline, who was married to the Rev. Wm. M. CHEVER, of Kansas City, who is dead now; Mary, who is now the wife of Chas. PEDDLE, of Terre Haute, and Matilda. Dr. E.V. BALL died March 1873, and was buried in Woodlawn cemetery. His wife is still living in Terre Haute.

HISTORY OF VIGO AND PARKE COUNTIES Together With Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley
H.W. Beckwith - 1880
Prairieton Twp. - pp. 466-467

CHARLES DUDLEY BENIGHT lives on the bank of the Wabash, on Secs. 33 and 34 of Prairieton township. He is a son of C.N. BENIGHT, of Terre Haute, and was born in Prairieton township, August 31, 1854. He was educated in Terre Haute, and took a course in Garvin's Commercial College. He was married in February, 1878, to Miss Hattie B. MILLER, of Terre Haute. His father and some other relatives came to Prairieton at an early day, and prepared the land for cultivation by their children.

HISTORY OF VIGO AND PARKE COUNTIES Together With Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley
H.W. Beckwith - 1880
Prairieton Twp. - p. 467

HAMILTON J. BENIGHT, farmer, Prairieton, lives on Sec. 6, Prairieton township. He was born in Prairieton township October 31, 1839, and is the son of C.N. BENIGHT, of Terre Haute, Indiana. He has spent most of his life in Vigo county, Indiana. He was a volunteer in the 85th reg. Ind. Inf., under Capt. BRANT, and served nearly three years, or to the end of the war. He was with the army at Nashville, Tennessee, Goldsboro, North Carolina, and other places in the south; was promoted to the office of first sergeant of Co. E. He was married July, 1867, to Miss Hannah A. JONES, who was born in Vermilion county, Illinois, in 1848, and came to Terre Haute in 1868. After marriage they went to Kansas and spent five years. Returning in 1873, he settled on the farm where they now live. His grandfather, Joseph A. BENIGHT, came from New York state and settled on this farm in 1818. Mr. BENIGHT lost his whole crop in 1875 by the August flood, which stripped nearly all of the settlers on the bottoms of their crops.

HISTORY OF VIGO AND PARKE COUNTIES Together With Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley
H.W. Beckwith - 1880
Prairieton Twp. - pp. 470-471

HARVEY E. BENTLEY, farmer, Prairieton, was born in Prairieton township on the farm now occupied by his father, W.R. BENTLEY, and he has lived here all his life. His father, William Ransford BENTLEY, who was son of old Elisha BENTLEY, who came to this country in 1817 and entered the land that is now occupied by W.R. BENTLEY, now lives on the old homestead, and has a fine home. He was married in 1838, at the age of twenty-two years, to Miss Sarah CORNELL, of Vigo county, who died October 28, 1853. He was married a second time, to Miss Sarah CARRITHERS, of Vigo county, who was born in Sullivan county, Indiana. She died February 28, 1874. His third marriage was to Miss MARY CARSON, of Vigo county, a daughter of the Rev. L.E. CARSON, of Prairieton. He is considered one of the wealthiest farmers of Prairieton township. His son, Harvey E. BENTLEY, now occupies the farm formerly owned by Maj. JONES, who rented the farm to Willis SIMMONS for a number of years. The house burned in the night-time, and the family barely escaped with their lives, and he has erected a fine residence and outbuildings, and his farm is one of the finest in the township. He was married October 19, 1862, to Miss Emma E. FARMER, a daughter of Wm. FARMER, who formerly lived on the farm adjoining, in the same section, No. 3, and who died some years ago. Mrs. BENTLEY was born July 26, 1843, in Park county, Indiana, and came with her parents to Prairieton township in 1858. Mr. BENTLEY and wife have succeeded in building for themselves a nice home, and have 168 acres in fine cultivation. They have five children: William F., Sarah E., Horace E., Frank and Otto, aged respectively fifteen, thirteen, ten, six and four years. He and his wife have been members of the Missionary Baptist church for five years. He has been, and is now, one of the successful farmers, as he puts into practical effect a rotation of crops which almost always proves to be a success when rightly managed. He has never been a political or military aspirant, and as he seems to combine a close application to business together with a rigid economy in expenditures and a contentment with himself and home, he is sure of an abundant success.

HISTORY OF VIGO AND PARKE COUNTIES Together With Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley
H.W. Beckwith - 1880
Prairieton Twp. - pp. 471-472

ISAAC BRYANT, farmer, Prairieton, lives on Sec. 5, in Prairieton township. He was born in Washington county, Ohio, May 18, 1813. His father was born in Harrison county, Virginia, near the Potomac river, and removed to Tippecanoe county, Indiana, where he died aged seventy-five years. His mother came from England when a child, and died at the age of eighty-five years. Isaac BRYANT moved to Clark county, Illinois, in 1843, where he bought nearly 500 acres of land, which he afterward sold out in small parcels to the Germans. He lived there about twenty years, when he moved to the farm on which he now lives. He went to Kansas in 1862, and bought 400 acres of land which he afterward sold. He now owns only 180 acres in Sec. 5, Prairieton township, having disposed of the remainder to his children. He had two sons in the war of the rebellion, one of whom, Samuel BRYANT, his oldest, died with the yellow fever; the other one, Madison M. BRYANT, was shot in the knee, and now draws a pension from the government. Mr. BRYANT has been a member of the Methodist church for forty years. He was married in Champaign county, Ohio, March 11, 1837, to Miss Elisabeth HAYES, and has raised a family of five children, all married. During his life he has received several severe injuries, still his general health has been good. He lost 200 acres of corn in August, 1875, by the overflowing of the Wabash bottoms. His wife died May 14, 1875, of erysipelas.

HISTORY OF VIGO AND PARKE COUNTIES Together With Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley
H.W. Beckwith - 1880
Prairieton Twp. - p. 475

LEWIS EVANS CARSON, physician, Prairieton, was born in Highland county, Ohio, December 20, 1824, and was educated in Petersburg, Ohio. He lived in Hamilton county until twenty-two years of age. He married a Miss Mary E. JERMEN in September 1847, and in the same year he removed to Madison, Indiana. From there he removed to Martinsville, Morgan county, Indiana. He studied medicine first in the city of Madison, and continued the study two years after going to Martinsville. While living there he was licensed to exhort in the Methodist church; three years after was licensed to preach, and three years after that entered the Indians conference, and was first sent to the New Albany circuit, and at the close of the second year at Hardinsburg was elected chaplain of the 38th reg. Ind. Vol. Inf. and served in that capacity for three years. He was with the regiment from the battle of Perryville, Kentucky, to the taking of Atlanta. He was at the battle of Stone River, Hoover's Gap, Shelbyville, Tullahoma, Chickamauga, where he came near being captured by the confederate troops, as the hospital was between the rebels and the United States forces during the battle; Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, and all those hard-fought battles on the route to Atlanta. He returned in the fall of 1864, and entered the work of the ministry by being appointed to the Bloomfield circuit. From there he went to Fredericksburg, in the fall of 1867; then was sent to New Albany and remained two years; then to Salem, Washington county, for two years, and came to Prairieton in 1872 and remained three years. After that he went to Evansville for one year, where he had charge of the Engle-street church. He returned then to Prairieton, where he has since been engaged in the practice of medicine. His first wife died at Hardinsburg, Indiana, in 1860, leaving two children, one of whom, Mary Virginia, is now the wife of Wm. R. BENTLEY, of Prairieton township, and the other one is the wife of Dr. J.C. MASON, formerly Bloomfield, but now of Annapolis, Indiana. In 1861 Mr. CARSON was again married, to Miss Annie E. GRAHAM, by whom he has had six children, three boys and three girls; the girls are all dead and the boys live at home. He is a member of the A.F. and A.M., I.O.O.F., the Grangers and the Good Templars. He is also a member of the Vigo County Medical Society and the Esculapian Society. He was a successful minister, having taken into the church over 2,000 members while engaged as a Methodist preacher. He also organized what they called the army church of the 38th reg., which was nonsectarian. His father, Silas CARSON, was born in Stokes county, North Carolina, about 1796; went to Ohio with his parents about 1812-13, and settled in Highland county, and lived and died in that county, June 3, 1836. He was a very fine scholar, being a fine mathematician and penman, and was a genius in the way of mechanics, showing great ingenuity in the manufacture of guns and other kinds of mechanism. He married a Miss Sarah DAVIS, of that county, about 1821, a daughter of John and Jane DAVIS of that county. They had five children, one of whom, a boy, died young of scarlet fever; the others, Eliza, Lewis E., Allen Trumbull and Silas are living; Eliza in Henry county, Iowa; Allen in Howard county, Indiana, and Silas at Martinsville, Indiana, where he is justice of the peace and mayor of the town of Martinsville. The wife of Silas CARSON Sr. is still living at Russiaville, Howard county, Indiana, and is seventy-nine years old. L.E. CARSON's great-grandfather and the famous pathfinder Kit CARSON's grandfather were brothers and came from the north of Ireland and are Scottish and Irish.

HISTORY OF VIGO AND PARKE COUNTIES Together With Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley
H.W. Beckwith - 1880
Prairieton Twp. - pP. 477-478

JOHN COPELAND JR., farmer, Prairieton, resides on his farm in Sec. 25, half a mile east of the town of Prairieton. He was born November 6, 1820, near Greensborough, Henry county, Indiana. His father, John COPELAND Sr., was born in North Carolina and came to Indiana before it was a state and settled where Wayne county now is. He removed to Henry county, and from there he removed to Prairieton in 1837. He taught two terms of school in Prairieton. He was a farmer, and died in 1869. He was a member of the Society of Friends. John C. Jr., came to Prairieton with his father in 1837, where he has lived ever since. He was a member of the Society of Friends, but on marrying out of the church he was read out of the society. He has never been an office seeker. He has been married three times. His first wife was Miss Ellen HOSS, of Vigo county, who is now deceased. His second marriage was to Miss Samira MORRIS, of Vigo county. She also died, and he was then married to Mrs. Elizabeth MOORE, who is now living with him. He has had four children, three boys and one girl, who married a Wm. MILES, and now lives at Pendleton, Indiana. His son, Marion COPELAND, volunteered and served three months in the late war. He reenlisted in the 2nd Ill. Cav., serving nearly two years. His other two boys live at home and help to work the farm.

HISTORY OF VIGO AND PARKE COUNTIES Together With Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley
H.W. Beckwith - 1880
Prairieton Twp. - pp. 468-469

JOHN DeBAUN, miller and farmer, Prairieton, was born near Mercer county, Kentucky, November 25, 1821. He removed from Kentucky to Sullivan county, Indiana, in 1830, where he lived until 1845, when he removed to Prairie Creek township, and lived for a number of years about three and a half miles south of Prairieton. He removed in 1860 to the farm he now occupies, just south of the village of Prairieton, where he has since made his home. He was married January 17, 1843, to Miss Elisabeth TRUEBLOOD, a daughter of Benoni TRUEBLOOD, who was born in Camden county, North Carolina, about 1790, and came to Indiana in 1828. He was a Baptist minister, and died May 10, 1863. John DeBAUN has a family of a wife and seven children living, three sons and four daughters. His eldest son died. He owns and operates the steam flouring-mill at Prairieton, and has been in the milling business for about twenty-three years; was formerly a farmer, and now runs a small farm in connection with milling. He has a fine home in a beautiful location; is also an honored member of the Masonic order, and has been an officer in the society for a long time. He is one of the solid men of Prairieton. One of his sons is married and lives in his residence near the mill, and assists his father in the milling business. Mrs. John De BAUN received a serious injury a short time ago by falling down a cellar hatchway.

HISTORY OF VIGO AND PARKE COUNTIES Together With Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley
H.W. Beckwith - 1880
Prairieton Twp. - p. 471

THOMAS G. DRAKE, physician, Prairieton, was born in Sullivan county in 1836. His father, PRESTON G. DRAKE, was born in Warren county, Kentucky, about the year 1800, and came to Indiana somewhere about 1820. He came direct to Vigo county, where he was married to Miss Nancy FERGUSON, a daughter of Thomas and Elisabeth FERGUSON. He engaged in teaching school for several years. He entered land in Sullivan county, Indiana, and removed there and lived till 1849, when he went to Terre Haute and remained a few months. He traded for property east of Merom, Sullivan county, and removed there and made it his home until he died. His first wife died sometime in 1840, and he was married again in 1842, to Miss Susan BRYANT, of Vigo county, who was after the death of Mr. DRAKE, which occured in 1840, while on a visit to Kentucky, married a Joseph E. JONES, a brother of old Jimmy JONES, of Vigo county. Joseph JONES died in 1863, and his wife Susan died in 1855. She left two children: Delia, who was married to James KELLY, and lives in Sullivan, and the other, Etta Ellen, who married a Mr. DAVIS, and removed to the State of Texas. Thomas G. DRAKE lived at Sullivan for about ten years, and then came to Terre Haute. After leaving home he went to Bowling Green and studied the languages under Prof. PILLSBURY, a highly accomplished teacher. After that he came to Terre Haute and read medicine with Dr. Geo. W. CLIPPINGER. He afterward studied medicine and graduated at Chicago, Illinois, in the winter of 1861-62. He then came to Prairieton, where he has since lived. He was married October 8, 1862, to Miss Eliza J. FERGUSON, a cousin on his mother's side, and a daughter of James and Mary FERGUSON, who live just south of Prairieton. Mr. DRAKE has a family of four children: James F., Thomas A., Mary N. and Guthred. They lost one, Thomas P., who was one year old. Mr. DRAKE has made the practice of medicine his life-work. He bought the old Robert HOGGATT farm of over 300 acres of (sic) the wife and daughter of Mr. HOGGATT, who now live in Illinois, and he has made some accessions to his farm, so that he has now one of the finest farms in Prairieton township. The HOGGATT farm has only changed hands from the government to the HOGGATTs, and from them to Dr. DRAKE. He and his wife are members of the close communion Baptist church, and are honored and respected citizens.

HISTORY OF VIGO AND PARKE COUNTIES Together With Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley
H.W. Beckwith - 1880
Prairieton Twp. - pp. 476-477

WILLIAM KELLEY FLESHER, farmer, Prairieton, was born in West Virginia May 28, 1824. He removed to Deflance county, Ohio. Afterward he came to Prairieton township in 1867, where he has since resided. His grandfather was an old revolutionary soldier and did good service in the cause of liberty. His father was born and raised in Lewis county, Virginia, and died in Rome, West Virginia; he was a farmer by occupation. His mother was also a native of Virginia. Wm. K. is a farmer. He has one brother and four sisters. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity at Prairieton. He lost his first wife by the spotted fever, April 29, 1873, and was again married, to Mrs. Mary Ann CLARK, August 9, 1877. By his first marriage he had a family of ten children, two of whom died young; the rest, four boys and four girls, are living. One son and three of his daughters are married, and the remainder of the children live at home with their parents. His last wife, Mrs. CLARK, was formerly a Miss Mary Ann JOHNSON. She first married Mr. Carlisle Reed CLARK, who was born in York state, July 23, 1813, and came to Indiana when quite young, and lived and died in Prairieton township; died November 5, 1864, leaving one child, Joseph Carlisle Reed CLARK, who also lives at home with his mother. Mr. FLESHER has a farm of nearly 200 acres, one of the most fertile farms in the township, and his home is one of the most quiet, pleasant and agreeable ones that is to be found in the county.

HISTORY OF VIGO AND PARKE COUNTIES Together With Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley
H.W. Beckwith - 1880
Prairieton Twp. - p. 478

ALFORD HALE, farmer, Prairieton, Indiana, was born in Miami county, Ohio, August 8, 1818. His father, Bradford HALE, came to Scott county, Indiana, when Alford was quite young, where he lived five years. His father removed to Honey Creek Prairie, near Prairieton, in the fall of 1823. He intended to go to Illinois when he started, but at that time the Wabash river was the boundary line between the whites and the Indians, so he was compelled to stop on the Indiana side, and was the first to settle on Sec. 33. Afterward he removed to Sec. 34, where he died, and his son Alford HALE has ever since made it his home. Alford HALE was married April 20, 1843, to Miss Eliza Ann ANGEL, a daughter of Dexter ANGEL, who lived several miles farther down the river, and who afterward went back to New York state and died there. She was born September 26, 1822, in a house that then stood where the Wabash river now runs, on Sec. 6, which belonged to her grandfather, old Joseph BENIGHT. The river has gradually encroached on the land, washing it away from time to time until it has changed its course very much from what it was sixty years ago. Mr. and Mrs. HALE have had six children: Bradford, Sarah C., Almira, Dexter M., James R.W. and Alford J. The two girls died in infancy and the boys are still living. Bradford was a volunteer in the war for the Union, and was wounded in the leg and taken prisoner by the rebels January 19, 1865, and was held three months, and was then paroled and set free. He was in the service one year, and was in several battles. He now lives in the State of Kansas. Mr. HALE has always been a farmer, and has never held office except school trustee. He has never made much of a military record, although he used to meet at muster and train, and even offered his services in the Black Hawk war, but they were not required and he returned home. At first he had to go to Terre Haute, ten miles, to vote, and voted there two years, when the county was divided, and Prairieton township was then joined to Sugar Creek. Mr. and Mrs. HALE have been prominent members of the Methodist church, he for thirty and she for forty years, and they are honored members of the society. Her great-grandfather was a colonel in the revolutionary war, and all her relations on her father's side lived and died in York state. Mr. and Mrs. HALE now live on the same farm in Sec. 34, and they have a comfortable home. Their children are doing for themselves except one, the youngest, who lives at home with them.

HISTORY OF VIGO AND PARKE COUNTIES Together With Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley
H.W. Beckwith - 1880
Prairieton Twp. - pp. 464-465

ENOCH HARLAN, farmer, Prairieton, was born in Davis county, North Carolina, December 19, 1800. He came to Prairieton township in 1816, where he has since resided with the exception of several visits made to North Carolina, Parke county, Indiana, and Missouri. He now lives one and a half miles south of Prairieton. His wife, formerly Miss Catherine POPE, was born in Davis county, North Carolina, and came to Indiana in 1820 and married Mr. HARLAN two years afterward. She was an industrious and exemplary woman and a member of the Baptist church. She died at the age of sixty years. They raised a family of six children, five of whom are living. He was always a democrat. He now lives on 200 acres he entered from the government. He has been a member of the Baptist church for forty years. He was present at a treaty with the Indians in Parke county, Indiana, and joined the Indians in feasting, drinking, and had a big spree. He was in the Black Hawk war. Mr. HARLAN now has the first clock that was brought to this township, an old wooden one. He also recollects about the Indians stealing the child of John CAMPBELL, who lived on the prairie east of Prairieton. Mr. CAMPBELL spent much time and nearly all his means searching for his child, but never found it. Mr. HARLAN and old Jeremiah HAYWORTH Sr. killed the first wild bear in Vigo county, about a half mile from Mr. HARLAN's present residence. He has lived on his farm about sixty years, and recollects when the tall timber about his house, that is now fifty to seventy-five feet in height, was only five to six feet high. He is now very feeble, and soon another one of the old pioneers will be gone from our midst.

HISTORY OF VIGO AND PARKE COUNTIES Together With Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley
H.W. Beckwith - 1880
Prairieton Twp. - pp. 463-464

JAMES HARLAN, farmer, Prairieton, was born in Prairieton township, Vigo county, Indiana, January 24, 1835. He has always lived in this township, with the exception of two or three years. He was married March 6, 1861, to Miss Sarah HARRINGTON, a lady of Vigo county, Indiana, who died three years afterward. He was again married, December 6, 1870, to Miss Harriett MULLIKIN, also of Vigo county, Indiana. He has a family of four children. He owns a good farm of 285 acres in the southeast part of the township, which though new he is fast making a pleasant home, and if he lives he will be one of the substantial and well-to-do farmers of Vigo county. He left his father's home with only six dollars in his pocket, and he has by indomitable energy succeeded in laying the foundation of a fine home, having bought and paid for his farm and is making preparation for the erection of a fine residence and other necessary buildings, which when completed will be an ornament to that part of the township. Such men as Mr. HARLAN are always a blessing to the country, as they by their example always exert an influence for good on the rising generation and those of their neighbors who are not endowed by nature with such executive ability.

HISTORY OF VIGO AND PARKE COUNTIES Together With Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley
H.W. Beckwith - 1880
Prairieton Twp. - p. 468

View a history of Prairieton Township.

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