Prairie Creek Township

HARVEY S. EVANS. --The EVANS family was established in Vigo county before the period of the Civil war, and during all these years they have been prominently identified with its agricultural interests, but Harvey S. EVANS has laid aside the active work of the farm and is now living practically retired. He has taken active interest in the public and political life of his community, voting with the Republican party, and he is now serving in the office of township trustee. During six years he was the township's assessor; for two years was a member of its advisory board, for fifteen successive years was its supervisor, and he has served as the administrator for at least five estates and as the guardian of three orphan children.

Born in York, Illinois, Sepember 24, 1854, Harvey S. EVANS is a son of SILAS and ELIZA (WILFOND) EVANS, both of German descent and both were born in Crawford county, Illinois, the father in 1832 and the mother in 1835. They were farming people, and in 1861 they located on a farm in Prairie Creek township, Vigo county, Indiana, where they spent the remainder of their lives, the father dying on the 19th of December, 1875, and the mother in 1866. Silas EVANS three times offered his service to his country's cause during the Civil war, but each time was rejected on account of ill health. He was both a Whig and Republican politically, and both he and his wife were members of the United Brethren church. In their family were six children: Harvey S., of this review; John, deceased; Mahala, the wife of John M. POLLITT, of Honey Creek township; Sarah Ellen, deceased; Mary, the wife of Jesse MUSKGRAVE, and William, deceased. Mr. EVANS married for his second wife Elizabeth RING, and their five children were: Silas, of Linton township, Vigo county; William, of Indianapolis; Minnie, the wife of George LISTON, of Linton township; Davie, who married Joe ADAMS and resides in Linton township, and Mattie, of Terre Haute.

Harvey S. EVANS spent the first eighteen years of his life on his parents' farm, and he was then married and rented twenty-five acres of land in Prairie Creek township. After fifteen years as a renter he bought one acre of land, later purchased fifty-four acres more, and he now has an estate of one-hundred and fifteen acres besides a lot in Middletown.

On the 5th of April, 1872, Mr. EVANS married MARGARET A. JOHNSON, who was born in Vigo county, Indiana, February 7, 1853, a daughter of Daniel and Betsy Ann JOHNSON, both of whom also claimed Vigo as the county of their nativity. The father was a farmer and mechanic, and both he and his wife are now dead. Mr. and Mrs. EVANS have had four children, but only two, Elmer E. and Zenis K., are now living, the other two dying in infancy. Elmer was born January 6, 1873, and is now a resident of Middletown. He married Carrie LAYBOLD. Zenis married Blanche HANALY, now deceased, and is a resident of Terre Haute. Mr. EVANS is an active member of the Odd Fellows order at Middletown, Vigo Lodge, No. 476, in which he has filled all of its offices and is also a member of its auxiliary, Rebekah Lodge, No. 204. He has also filled all the offices with the exception of vice chancellor and worthy advisor in the Modern Woodmen of America, Lodge No. 5565, at Middletown. Both he and his wife are members of the United Brethren church.

GREATER TERRE HAUTE AND VIGO COUNTY
C.C. Oakey - 1908
Pp. 820-821

HERSCHEL HALL. --During many years Herschel HALL has been prominent in the public and business life of this section of Vigo county, and he is a native son of Clark county, Indiana, born May 17, 1851, a son of Edwin D. and Indiana (TINGLEY) HALL. The father is deceased, but the mother is yet living and a resident of Darwin township, Illinois, being now seventy-seven years old. Edwin HALL was born in New York, but when a young man came to Indiana and a short time afterward went to Darwin, Illinois, where he taught school for twenty years or until the opening of the Civil War. He joined the One Hundred and Thirtieth Illinois Regiment, Company K, in August, 1862, and served as a private about one year, his death occurring a short time after his return from the conflict. He was a son of Elijah and Eunice (STEVENS) HALL, born respectively in Portland county, Vermont, June 14, 1784, and in New Hampshire, August 25, 1784. In their family were ten children, as follows: Oliver S., born August 19, 1807, deceased; Mary A. HALL, born August 23, 1809, taught school in Honey Creek township, Vigo county, seventy-seven years ago, among her pupils having been numbered Mrs. Francis MORGAN, of this township [Prairie Creek], and she is now living in the state of Washington; William F., born August 12, 1811, deceased; Edward P., born March 17, 1814, deceased; Amanda M., born February 23, 1816, deceased; Edwin D., the father of Herschel HALL of this review; Harrison B., born February 5, 1820, deceased; Cynthia, born February 13, 1822, deceased; Melvina, born June 2, 1825, deceased, and Rosetta, born April 13, 1831. Five children were born to Edwin D. and Indiana (TINGLEY) HALL, as follows: Herschel, whose name introduces this review; Melissa, deceased; Ida M., the wife of William ANDERSON, of Indianapolis; Eunice A., wife of Milton CRAIG, deceased, of Marshall, Illinois, and Louisa, who married Isaac N. HALL, and their home is in Oklahoma.

Herschel HALL remained at home with his mother until he was twenty-two years of age, when he was married and went to Darwin, Illinois. After clerking in a store there two years he resumed his former occupation of farming, and in 1884 came to Prairie Creek township and has farmed here ever since. He carries on general farming on rented land, but he owns forty acres in Clark county, Illinois. During his residence in that state he served for three terms as assessor, and in 1900 and again in 1904 he was elected to that office in Prairie Creek township, Vigo county. His political allegiance is with the Republican party. Mr. HALL received the nomination of township trustee in the spring of 1908, and he is a gentleman whose integrity and honor, as well as efficiency, is well known and will fill the office with credit to himself and the township.

On the 14th of October, 1873, Mr. HALL was united in marriage to Victoria T. HALL, who was born in Virginia, July 2, 1854, a daughter of Solomon and Delila (HUGHES) HALL. The children of this union are as follows: Ada, born October 3, 1874, died October 21, 1875; Edwin, born April 7, 1879, is teaching school; Garfield, born August 29, 1880; married Edna COLLINS and lives in Terre Haute; Ruby, born February 12, 1883, is the wife of James A. BARNETT, of Attica, Indiana; Florence, born October 10, 1886, is at home; Flora died August 21, 1887; Minnie N., born April 27, 1889, lives in Terre Haute; the eighth child died in infancy, and Tillie Ann, the youngest, was born April 9, 1894. Two of the children attended the State Normal at Terre Haute, and Garfield was a student in the art school at Indianapolis one term and now enjoys the reputation of being one of the best artists with the brush in Terre Haute. Herschel HALL was a member of the fraternal order of Odd Fellows.

GREATER TERRE HAUTE AND VIGO COUNTY
C.C. Oakey - 1908
Pp. 823-825

EDGAR H. McCLANNAHAN is numbered among the prominent resident farmers of Prairie Creek township, Vigo county, and was born in Sullivan county, Indiana, June 29, 1857, a son of Elias A. and Miranda (HILL) McCLANNAHAN. ELIAS A. McCLANNAHAN was born in Virginia, January 12, 1825, and died in Vigo county, Indiana, April 9, 1903. When a boy of eight years he came to Ohio and resided there for four or five years, after which he spent a similar period in Honey Creek township, Vigo county, Indiana, and thence came to Farmersburg. He was married here at the age of twenty-two years, in 1848, to Miranda HILL, who was born in Sullivan county, this state, January 16, 1827, and is now living with her daughter in Farmersburg. After his marriage Mr. McCLANNAHAN commenced the struggle for a livelihood by renting a farm, later becoming the owner of three hundred and eighty acres of land, and in time he became a prominent farmer and stock-raiser. He was a democrat, a Mason and a member of the Baptist church, his wife being also connected with that denomination. He was a good Christian man and took pride in the upbuilding of his church, being a faithful and earnest worker in every way. Six children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. McCLANNAHAN, namely: Harley, who married Lettie YARD and lives in Sullivan county; Albert, who died when young; Mary Ellen, who also died when young; Edgar H., of whom mention is made later; Maggie, the wife of Rice McCLANE, of Farmersburg, and the twin of Maggie, who died in infancy.

When Edgar H. McCLANNAHAN had attained the age of twenty-nine years he married and moved to a farm of one hundred acres of his own in Sullivan county, Indiana, remaining there for about two years, and at the close of the period he came to the homestead he now owns in Prairie Creek township, Vigo county, his real estate at the present time consisting of one hundred and eighty-six acres in that locality and some lots in Oklahoma. He devotes his land to stock-raising, breeding principally horses, cattle and mules. He gives his political support to the Democratic party and has fraternal relations with Prairie Creek Lodge, No. 459, of the Masonic order, and with Prairie Creek Lodge, No. 5565, Modern Woodmen of America, in which he has filled all the offices.

Mr. McCLANNAHAN married, September 22, 1886, Julia A. THOMAS, who was born on the 5th of December, 1862, to James and Matilda THOMAS, and nine children were born to them: Laura E., born August 9, 1887; Lenora M., September 7, 1888; Arthur Elwood, born January 21, 1891, died December 22, 1891; Octavia M., born October 19, 1892; Joseph M., Febraury 7, 1895; James E., born March 27, 1897, died December 17, 1900; Parentha E., born January 21, 1901; Ray Edison, April 8, 1902, and Julia Esther, April 12, 1906. Both Mr. and Mrs. McCLANNAHAN are members of the Baptist church and for three years has served as superintendent of the Sunday school and is an active church worker.

GREATER TERRE HAUTE AND VIGO COUNTY
C.C. Oakey - 1908
Pp. 868-869

MILTON H. PIETY is the owner of a fine farming estate of three hundred and twenty acres in Prairie Creek township. This has been his home since starting out in life for himself, his first purchase of land consisting of one hundred and thirty acres, and farming has been his vocation through life, although for five years he was also engaged in a mercantile business in Middletown.

Mr. PIETY was born in Prairie Creek township, Vigo county, June 14, 1849, a son of JAMES D. and LURINDA L. (THOMAS) PIETY, natives respectively of Kentucky and Ohio. It was as early as 1826 that the father located on what is now known as the old Piety farm in Prairie Creek township, and here he spent the remainder of his life as a farmer and stock man. At one time he owned fourteen hundred acres, but afterward sold all save three hundred and twenty acres and invested in the Terre Haute & Richmond Railroad, now the Vandalia Railroad, purchasing stock when the railroad was first laid out. He was both a Whig and a Republican politically. Unto James D. and Lurinda L. (THOMAS) PIETY were born nine children: Ellen, who has been twice married, being now the wife of L.V. LIST, and resides in Terre Haute; Emily, deceased; Louisa, the wife of A.W. MILEGAN, of Texas; Nancy, the wife of W.R. MORGAN, of Prairie Creek township; Margaret, deceased; Milton H., of this review; Chauncey R., deceased; Samuel, who married Mary R. DeBAUN, a daughter of ex-Commissioner John DeBAUN, and is a minister in Wabash county, Indiana, and Sarah T., the wife of B.T. DeBAUN, of Terre Haute. Mr. James D. PIETY was twice married, his first wife having been Eleanor HARNETT, of Kentucky, by whom he had eight children.

On the 6th of October, 1870, Milton H. PIETY married SARAH E. TRUEBLOOD, born March 24, 1849. Her father, BENONI TRUEBLOOD, born in North Carolina, October 22, 1819, came to Vigo county when a boy of seven, and lived here during the remainder of his life with the exception of six years spent in Kansas. During one term he served the county as a commissioner, and was a Whig and Republican politically. He died May 11, 1898, surviving his wife for many years, her death occurring March 14, 1874. She bore the maiden name of LUCINDA BEAUCHAMP and was born October 4, 1823. There were twelve children in their family, as follows: Ranson, who served about six months with the Forty-third Indiana Regiment during the Civil war and was then called upon to lay down his life on the altar of his country; Ophelia and Columbus, also deceased; Sarah E., the wife of Mr. PIETY; Lafayette, who married for his second wife Eunice KESTER and is farming in Prairie Creek township; Martha, who has also been twice married and is now the wife of J.W. DEVOL, of Prairie Creek township; Benoni, who wedded Retta CRAIG; Katy L., the wife of Ellis FERGUSON, of Terre Haute; Rosa and Oliver P., deceased; Homer, who married Ida ELLIOTT and resides in Indianapolis, and Carl C., deceased. Mr. and Mrs. PIETY have three children: The first born, Ozro T., is a general merchant in and the postmaster of Middletown. He was born January 19, 1873, and married Alma TURNER; Agnes, born March 23, 1879, married Walter A. WILLIAMS, and they reside in Prairie Creek township, and Ernest R., born July 6, 1886, resides on the home farm: he married Margaret D. MILES. Milton H. PIETY votes with the Republican party, and in fraternal circles he has membership in the Masonic Lodge, No. 598, of Middletown, in which he has filled all the offices and has received the third degree. He is also a member of the Odd Fellows fraternity, Lodge No. 476, in Middletown, in which he has also served in all the offices. Both he and his wife are members of their auxiliaries, the Rebekaha and Eastern Star, and both are members of the Christian church.

GREATER TERRE HAUTE AND VIGO COUNTY
C.C. Oakey - 1908
Pp. 825-826

JOSEPH THOMPSON is one of Prairie Creek township's most active business men, prominently identified with its farming and milling interests, and his home is in Middletown. For twenty-six years he has been actively connected with industrial life, first operating a saw mill for eight years, during a similar period bought and sold stock, shipping principally to Indianapolis, and since 1897 has been the proprietor of a flouring mill.

Mr. THOMPSON was born in Sullivan county, Indiana, May 19, 1849, a son of JOSEPH, SR., and NANCY H. (YEAGER) THOMPSON. For many years Joseph THOMPSON, Sr., was prominent in the business life of Sullivan county, following agricultural pursuits, and his death occurred January 22, 1849, four months before the birth of his son and namesake. Mrs. THOMPSON, born in 1815, survived her husband many years and died in May, 1900. She was but four years old when her parents came to Terre Haute, and she could recall to mind when that now populous city was a little hamlet of four or five houses. After her husband's death she carried on their little farm of eighty acres and made a home for her children, nine in number, namely: Clarissa, deceased; James, who married Julia CUPPY and resides in Sullivan county; Eliza, the wife of John P. HARRIS, a retired farmer in Nebraska; Henrietta, the wife of Stephen R. JOHNSON, a farmer in Sullivan county; William, who married Eliza McKINNEY and resides in Kansas; Nancy and Mary, both deceased; Martha A., the wife of James H. HARRIS, of Nebraska, and Joseph, the subject of this review.

Joseph THOMPSON remained at home with his mother until his marriage and afterward for three years she lived with him, her death occurring at his home, although in the meantime she had lived with her other children. In 1878, three years after his marriage, he located on his farm of fifty-five acres in Linton township, and he lived there until his removal to Middletown in 1898. His farm now contains two-hundred acres, and since 1897 he has operated a flouring mill in connection with his general farming, selling his product principally at wholesale. He is also active in the public life of his community, voting with the Democratic party, and is a member of Lodge No. 476 and the encampment of Odd Fellows. He has filled all the offices in his lodge in Middletown and has three times been a representative to the grand lodge at Indianapolis.

On the 11th of February, 1875, Mr. THOMPSON was united in marriage to SUSAN E. GASKIN, who was born May 1, 1854, a daughter of Stephen and Luella GASKIN. Their seven children are Oliver R., who died at the age of thirteen months; Clement H., born March 3, 1878, married Early RING and lives in Middletown; Lula E., born April 19, 1880, is the wife of Joseph BAILEY, of Linton township; John C., born August 12, 1882; Nola N., born August 5, 1884, and Trillie Lester, born April 15, 1891, are all at home, and one, the third born, died in infancy.

GREATER TERRE HAUTE AND VIGO COUNTY
C.C. Oakey - 1908
Pp. 819-820

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