JOHN G. SALISBURY
John G. Salisbury, farmer, Monroe township. His grandfather, James Salisbury, was a native of Vermont, of English descent. John C. Salisbury, son of James, was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, in the year 1805. He emigrated in early times to Kentucky, and came to Madison, Ind., in 1832. In 1836, he came to Monroe township, where he permanently settled down and lived the balance of his life. He was a pioneer school-teacher, and taught school in Kentucky, Madison, and here, afterward, became a farmer. He was one of the old free-soilers, and a great advocate of free speech. He married in Jefferson county, Ind., Miss Leah Ryker, daughter of John Ryker, one of the earliest settlers of this county. They had nine children. The eldest son, James T., was a member of Co. H, Tenth Indiana Cavalry, and died in Black Swamp, near Vicksburg.
John G. Salisbury, who furnishes this sketch, was born December 4, 1842, in Monroe township; was reared on a farm, educated in the common schools, and now lives upon--and owns--the farm upon which he was born. June 9, 1869, he was married to Miss Lauretta Elliott, daughter of Robt. Elliott, of the same township. Mr. and Mrs. Salisbury have two children: Sadie M. and Robert E. Mr. Salisbury and wife are both members of the Monroe Presbyterian Church. He is the superintendent of the Sabbath-school. Mr. Salisbury owns 205 acres of good, well-improved land.
His father, John C. Salisbury died in 1870, January 14. His mother is still living and resides with him, and retains her faculties of mind to a remarkable degree, being 74 years old. Mr. Salisbury is a good citizen.
OTIS BARTOLL SAPPINGTON
Otis Bartoll Sappington (deceased) was born in Baltimore, Md., January 1, 1832, and was reared in that city until he was sixteen years old. He attended the city schools until 11 years of age. At that time he commenced the business of life for himself.
His mother died when he was only five and one-half years old. His father, who had been a large hat manufacturer, and was broken up by endorsing, died shortly after the death of his mother, leaving Otis and orphan without patrimony.
At the age of sixteen he came to Indiana and stopped at Madison, where he was employed as clerk in the grocery and commission house of Weyer & McKee. He remained with this firm for many years.
In 1863 he became a partner of Mr. Hargan in a wholesale grocery business, under the firm name of Hargan & Sappington, and was still in that firm at the time of his death in 1868.
He was lost in the disaster to the steamboat "United States of America."
Mr. Sappington was married, in 1856, to Miss Sarah M. Crane, daughter of Rev. Simon H. Crane, a Presbyterian minister, and a native of Newark, N.J.
To them were born three children: Charles C., Mary M. and Otis B., all of whom are living.
Charles C., the eldest, was born December 22, 1860, in Madison, Ind., where he was reared and attended the city schools. In 1878 he took a position as check clerk in the J., M. & I. R. R. depot in Madison, and has been connected with this depot ever since, excepting from May 1 to September 1, 1883, when he was teller in the First national Bank of Madison.
On leaving the bank he was made freight and ticket agent for the J., M. &. I. R. R. in his native town, and still holds the place. He is a member of the Masons and K. of P. order.
He was elected as member of the City Council, from the fifth ward, on the Republican ticket, in the spring of 1888, and is at present a member of that body.
Mr. Sappington, while he is quite a young man, is making a remarkable record in pushing and placing himself among the successful and enterprising business men of Madison.
FRANCIS M. SCHOOLCRAFT
Francis M. Schoolcraft, farmer, Monroe township, was born in Lee county, Virginia, January 28, 1843. His father, Michael Schoolcraft, was a native of Pennsylvania, of German descent. He removed to Virginia after the War of 1812, in which he was a soldier; there his son Abraham was born.
Abraham married in Virginia, and lived in Lee county, where his sixteen children were borne by three wives. He then removed to Ouseley county, Ky., in 1856, and from there he came to Madison, Ind., in 1863, where he died, at the age of 47.
He was a strictly loyal man to his country, and had to leave Kentucky on account of his loyalty to the Union.
The subject of this sketch was the eldest child, and at the death of his father, took charge of the young family of six who were left, and cared for them and found homes for them all. Mr. F. M. Schoolcraft was born and raised on a farm.
In 1861, October 26, he enlisted in Co. G., Eighth Reg. Ky. Infantry, and served until January 6, 1863, when he was discharged for disability. He entered the United States Navy August 31, 1864, and served until discharged in June, 1865, at the close of the war.
He came home and settled down to the quiet life of a farmer, taking to himself Mary Commisky as his wife, December 30, 1874. She was the daughter of Joe Commisky and Rebecca (Baxter) Commisky.
The family of these two are five children, viz: Daniel B., Mary L., Cyrus E., Benjamin G. and Anna R.
Mr. Schoolcraft owns a farm of 114 acres of good land, with a new house and good barn, and lives comfortably and happy with his family.
GEORGE SCHWARTZ
George Schwartz (deceased), the subject of this sketch, was born near Wildach, Bavaria, Germany, March 23, 1823. He was raised in a butcher's shop, and learned the milling business. In 1849 he came to America, and located for a short time in Ohio, where he was married to Anna M. Dosler, the daughter of Jacob Dosler, who was also a native of Bavaria. In the same year he removed to Jefferson county, Ind., and settled in Monroe township, upon a farm, where he lived until August 2, 1887, where he died after a long illness. He was educated in Germany, his parents intending him for a Lutheran preacher. He was a man of mind and thought beyond the common run, and was always looked up to by the German population of Monroe township as a leader and adviser. He was noted for his mild, equable temper and pleasant manners. He was just, and always considerate of the rights of others. In connection with his farm, he carried on a mill. Some years before his death he had turned that business over to his son, who built a mill on the Michigan road, three miles from the old one on Big creek.
Mr. Schwartz was a prominent Mason, and for many years was a leader in the Grange movement in his county. He was a member of the Lutheran Church. He owned 108 acres of land, which he farmed in a thorough manner. His family consisted of himself and wife and eight children, viz: Margaret, who is married to Enos Baglan, lives in Madison; Mary, married to Henry Byer, lives at Seymour; Eva, married to John Smith, lives at Rockford, Ind.--now a widow; George M. married Miss Lizzie Walmer, lives in Jefferson county, is a miller; John F., Anna M., Elizabeth and Michael--the last four are all single and live with Mrs. Schwartz on the homestead farm on Big creek.
JOHN W. SCOTT
John W. Scott, native of Jefferson county, Ind., was born June 3, 1834; was reared in the county until his seventeenth year, when he emigrated to the town of Moorfield, Switzerland county, Indiana. At Moorfield he learned the blacksmith trade, and worked at it there until 1862. Then he purchased a farm on Pleasant Ridge, in Jefferson county, and removed to it, where he remained three years; when he sold out and purchased a farm of 105 acres of land on Ryker's Ridge, in Jefferson county, which he still owns, and where he resides during the summer.
Mr. Scott was educated in the common schools of the county, which, by the way, are the best class, and will give to a boy or girl the best practical education in the world.
Mr. Scott is engaged in the wholesale and retail grocery business at the corner of Main and Jefferson streets, Madison, and resides in the city during the winter and spring months, in his city residence, No. 601 N. Mulberry street.
In 1865 he bought the farm mentioned, which is one of the finest in the county, and, removing to it, engaged in agricultural business in Madison, in which he continued until 1876, when he sold out the business, and that fall was elected treasure of the county on the Democratic ticket, overcoming a Republican majority of over 600.
During the two years of service in the treasurer's office, he made the largest collection of taxes ever made in the county. In the fall of 1878 he was defeated by a small majority for the same office. During the fall he engaged in the grocery business, which business he has been engaged in ever since. His place was known as the "Temple" grocery, as he occupied the salesroom in the lower part of the Masonic Temple. He remained in the "Temple" until about one month ago, when he removed to his present stand, corner of Main and Jefferson. He has built up a large trade, and has one of the best groceries in the city.
In 1877 Mr. Scott took his two sons, William A. and Elmer E., into partnership with him in the grocery business; the firm name is J. W. Scott & Sons. Mr. Scott is a Knight Templar Mason and a member of the M. E. Church. He has belonged to the church for twenty-five years, and is now a trustee and steward of his church.
He has been a member of the Democratic Central Committee ever since 1878, and is a stockholder in Madison Herald Newspaper Company.
Mr. Scott was married in 1851, to Miss Sarah Protzman, of Switzerland county, daughter of John Protzman, who was also one of the largest farmers of that county. He has seven children living, three boys and four girls: Elias J., William A., Elmer E., Mary Ida, Annie, Nora M. and Bertha E. He is the son of John and Rebecca (Welch) Scott. John, his father, was born in Jettburg, Scotland, and came to this country in 1818. He was a prominent farmer of this county, and died in 1878, at the age of 90 years. The mother was a native of Lexington, Ky.; she died in 1868, at the age of 68 years.
REV. JOHN B. H. SEEPE
Rev. John B. H. Seepe, Rector of St. Mary's church, Madison, Ind., is a native of Hanover, Germany. He was born in 1830, and came to the United States in 1836, with his parents, who located in Cincinnati.
He remained there until 1842, and attended the parochial school of the Holy Trinity Church. He attended college at Latrobe, Pa., studied theology at Vincennes, Ind., and was ordained Priest, at Vincennes.
He first stationed at Richmond, Ind., from 1859 to 1868, where he built St. Andrews Church and School. Subsequently he was Rector of St. James Church in Gibson county, Ind., until 1875; afterward he was Rector of St. Gabriel's Church in Connersville, Ind., until 1881.
Father Seepe was appointed Rector of St. Mary's Church, of Madison, Ind., April 22, 1881, and arrived at Madison on May 5, 1881.
St. Mary's congregation was organized in 1850, and the church was built in 1851. The present school-building--a commodious and fine building--was built in 1876, and contains four large school-rooms on the first floor, and a large hall on the second floor. The congregation numbers 250 families; and the school is attended by about 200 children, and is under the care of three Ursuline Sisters and one male teacher.
The church was renovated in 1887 and 1888, to the amount of about $3,500, and is now one of the finest church buildings in Indiana.
MICHAEL SHEETS
Michael Sheets, farmer, Monroe township. The subject of this sketch was born in Prussia, September 12, 1827. he is the son of John Sheets, a native of that country. Michael emigrated to this country in 1841, and settled with the family of his father in Pittsburgh, Pa.
His father removed to Ripley county, Ind., and there bought 240 acres of land. He was the donor of land and money for the founding of the St. Magdelen Church and School in that count. He died in 1875. He was a farmer.
His mother was Elizabeth Lisman, who was the daughter of a teacher in Prussia. Her only brother was forced into the army of Napoleon Bonaparte, and served under him; while returning home he was starved to death--some of his comrades lived to return home and tell the sad story.
The father of the subject of this sketch raised a family of six children, four sons and two daughters. Michael was the youngest of the family, was raised on a farm and educated in the county schools of his time.
In 1840 he enlisted in the war with Mexico, in Capt. Sullivan's company, in the Third Regiment of Indiana Volunteers. Was in all the battles of his regiment, along the Valley of the Rio Grande. At the close of the war he crossed the Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans, where his regiment was disbanded.
In August, 1849, he was married to Miss Mary Ann Miles, of this county. The result of this union was six sons and four daughters: Enos J., Evan, Marion, John A., Chas. F., Michael H., Mary F., Nettie, Anna and Ida.
The subject of this sketch was also in the late war for ten months and fifteen days, in the Twenty-second Regiment Indiana Volunteers. Entered September 22, 1864, served to the end of the war; was with Gen. Thomas at Nashville, Tenn. After the close of the war he returned home and engaged in farming, especially fruit culture.
For twenty years past he has been quite successful in this line, and has now a very nice nursery. He also engaged in the fish culture a few years since, and now has a pool of fine carps on his farm.
He has raised and educated his large family, giving to them all the benefits of schools and teaching which the country afforded. He is a good farmer and citizen.
CHRISTOPHER SMART
Christopher Smart, farmer, Monroe township, was born in Otsego county, New York, February 18, 1824. His parents were Abraham and Elizabeth (Abby) Smart, who were natives of England.
His father was a farmer and emigrated to America in June, 1819. He remained in New York State until 1834, when he came to Indiana, and settled in Lancaster township, Jefferson county, now Monroe township, where he and his wife both died (see sketch of Mrs. Matilda Willoughby).
Christopher Smart came to Jefferson county three years later, and is still living on the old homestead. He was educated in the schools of his day; his principal instructors were a Welshman, by the name of David Jones, and an Irishman by the name of Craig (see his sketch).
In 1850, on the 6th day of October, he was married to Miss Maria L. McGee, daughter of William and Margaret A. (Large) McGee. Her father came to Madison from Ohio in 1823, formerly from Virginia, and was of Irish descent.
The children of their marriage are: Pirene, married to G. A. Valilie, living in Carroll county, Ky.; William A., died aged 17 years and 6 months; Arabella, at home; Christopher W., killed by the fall of a tree in Obion county, Tenn.; Thomas I., at home; Georgiana, a teacher of Jefferson county; James M., teacher of Jefferson county; and Riley L.
Mr. Christopher Smart taught school four terms, the first three in a log school-house with spilt logs for seats, and one term in a stone school-house; his salary was 75 cents and $1.00 per day. His own school-day advantages were meager.
During the dark days of the late civil war he was township trustee for two years, and had held the postoffice at Big Creek ever since it has been established.
JAMES H. SMITH
James H. Smith, county surveyor, Shelby township, Jefferson county, Ind. Mr. Smith's parents were Wm. Smith and Anna M. (Tull) Smith. His father was a native of Maryland, and came to Kentucky in 1806 and was one of the pioneers of that State. He removed to Indiana and settled in Jefferson county in 1823, on a farm in Shelby township, owned at present by the subject of this sketch. He served as a county commissioner of Jefferson county for a number of years. He died August 4, 1843. The mother of James H. Smith was the daughter of Handy and Eleanor Tull; her father was a Revolutionary soldier. Mr. James Smith was of Scotch-Irish descent.
Mr. Smith, the subject of this sketch, was born in Woodford county, Ky., January 27, 1821, and was raised on a farm in this county. He was educated in a log school-house, having none of the modern apparatus used in education nowadays. At the age of 18 he began teaching school, and continued at that for ten years. All of this time was spent in his own county.
He was married at the age of 23 to Catherine Overturf, who was of German descent; her parents came from Kentucky. They are the parents of six children: Elizabeth A., Wm. W., Sylvanus G., Mary E., John S. and James H. All of his sons are married but one. John S. is a physician practicing in Cass county, Ind., and was a graduate of the class of '82 in the Ohio Medical College.
Mr. Smith was elected justice of the peace in 1852, and served eight years. After that, was county school examiner for four years. Then was captain of Home Guards during the war. During the war he was elected county surveyor and has served as such ever since, except for four years, and was re-elected in the fall of 1888 for two years more.
Capt. Smith is a Mason, a member of the Blue Lodge. He is a Republican, and has been prominent in that party in this county ever since the party was organized. His father was a Whig, and was an admirer and earnest supporter of Henry Clay. Capt. Smith's first vote was cast for Henry Clay.
GRANVILLE T. SMITHA
Granville T. Smitha, farmer, Monroe township, was born September 1, 1814, in Woodford county, Ky. He is the son of John Smitha, who was born in Penn county, Va., and removed to Kentucky in the beginning of this century; and came from there to Indiana in 1819; settled in Jefferson county, at the head of Crooked creek, lived here some two years, then removed into the Woodfill neighborhood, and then moved to Ripley county; after remaining there some time came back to Jefferson county, near Bryantsburgh, where he bought land near the Robbins’ farm, in Shelby township. The boyhood of the subject of this sketch was passed principally on this farm. In 1832, October 18, Granville T. Smitha was married to Eliza E. Robbins, daughter of Wm. Robbins (whose sketch appears in this book). They had fourteen children as the result of their marriage: Wm. R., John, Willis H., Elizabeth R., Granville T., Mary A. R., Eliza Jane, Susan A., Melissa J., James B., Jeptha, Jerusia, Albert, and an infant.
Mr. Smitha was born on a farm, and raised a farmer’s boy and man, and is now an old farmer. He was educated in the schools of his youth (very different form those of this day). He is an earnest supporter and a prominent member of the Baptist Church. He saw Indians here, and tasted of all the hardships of a pioneer life, and is now in declining health and years, enjoying the products of his labors, both physically and socially, of early life. He owns 106 acres of land, and lives comfortably upon it. His oldest son, Wm. R., was raised on the farm, and at the second call for volunteers enlisted in Co. C, Eighty-second Regiment Indiana Infantry Volunteers, August 13, 1862, and was with Sherman on his “March to the Sea,” and in all of the engagements of his regiment. He was wounded twice. He lives at Edinburgh.
Albert A., the youngest son of Granville T., was born December 13, 1857; was educated in the schools of his township, and married March 14, 1878, to Mollie Anderson. They have four children: Charles, William, John and Florence. He is a young and energetic farmer and a good citizen.
LEONARD D. SPANN
Leonard D. Spann. The Spann family was of English ancestry. A short time before the Revolutionary war, the head of the American branch migrated to American and settled in the Colony of South Carolina. There were four of the sons and brothers of this family engaged as soldiers in that war, on the side of the Colonies. Three of them were soldiers in the ranks, and Jesse, the youngest, born in 1756, being too young for regular enlistment, acted as a scout or helper in the service. He saw and conversed with General Washington.
After the war he married, and lived, until 1801, in Sumter District, South Carolina; then moved to Garrard county, Kentucky, and in 1816 he came to Indiana, and settled in Lancaster township, Jefferson county, Indiana.
Moses Spann, the son of Jesse, was born June 3, 1799, in Sumter District, South Carolina, and came with his father to Kentucky and Indiana. He was a carpenter by trade, and assisted in the log rollings of the early settlement of this county, one spring being present at thirty-three of these interesting gatherings. In those days the whole county voted at the county-seat, Madison. About forty started from Lancaster to go to town to vote; a foot race to Madison was proposed, distance nine miles. Only four of the entire number made the race; they were Moses Spann, Solomon Spann, Miller Hall and Lacy Reynolds. Moses Spann died in 1886.
Leonard D. Spann, who furnishes this sketch, was the son of Moses, and was born May 26, 1841, in Jefferson county, Ind. His mother’s name was Nahala Smith, and she was the daughter of Asa Smith, who settled at an early date on the land where Dupont now stands.
Mr. Leonard D. Spann was raised on a farm and educated in the common schools, and took a course of study at the High School at Dupont. Taught school for three years. At the breaking out of the Rebellion he enlisted in the State service, and served there two years and six months, being in the United States service some sixty-five days.
He was married in 1865, to Miss Laura Driggs, daughter of Lloyd Driggs, a native of Baltimore, Md., and a resident of Madison, Ind., since 1820. Mr. and Mrs. Spann have eight children: Minnie L. is married to Mr. E. Bennett, and lives in New Albany, Ind.; John E. married Miss Alice Cary Patton, and lives in New Albany,; Clara did when sixteen years of age; the younger children, Frank D., Harley, Lloyd, Ethel E. and Bessie L. are all at home.
Mr. Spann was for some years representing the Farmers’ Mutual Insurance Company, of Madison, Ind., and is now one of the directors. He is also a director of the Jefferson County Fair.
He is a member of John A. Hendricks Post, No. 107, G.A.R. He owns eighty acres of well-improved land.
Elder ROBERT STEVENSON
Elder Robert Stevenson, preacher and farmer, Shelby township, Jefferson county, Ind., was born February 5, 1815, in Ayrshire, Scotland, and came to the United States in 1828. He is the son of Robert Stevenson, who was also born in Scotland in 1787, and was a large woolen manufacturer in that country, at Kilmanark; came to Indiana and bought a farm in Shelby township, Jefferson county, which is still owned by the Stevenson family, and spent his remaining life there. The ancestors of this family were of the town of Kickerton. The mother of Robert, the subject of this sketch, was Jennet Wallace, of the family of Sir Wm. Wallace, and her people were of the same county, at Manchlien, on the farm Bergour. In Scotland the women retain their maiden names after marriage. She died in 1883, at the age of 88 years and 6 months.
Mr. Robert Stevenson, the subject of this sketch, was raised on the farm and educated in Scotland, not having any advantages of schooling after he came to this country. They had only boards for slates and firecoals for pencils. In this way he became able to enter the ministry. He has been an active working man all his life; has worked at carpentering, built his own house and made his own furniture, some of which is still in his possession. He is a minister of the Baptist Church, and has preached in many counties in this State, and has also preached in other States. He began his work in the ministry in 1843, and may be called one of the pioneer preachers of this State. He was engaged in a State work for one year.
He was married in 1837 to Miss Barbara Sterrett, who was born in Scotland, but came, when quite young, with her parents, to Jefferson county. Their children were James, Robert, William and Mary. His wife died April 17, 1846, and he was re-married May 4, 1847, to Sarah Rutledge, a native of Kentucky; her parents were of Virgiana. The result of this marriage was five children: John, George, David, Sarah and Charles. Three of his sons were in the army: James and Robert in the Sixth Indiana Infantry, and William in the Tenth Indiana Cavalry. His sons are all of them farmers, three of them live in Jefferson county, one in the Far West and one in Shelby county. Both of his daughters are married. Mary lives in Ripley county and Sarah in Galveston, Ind.
Mr. Stevenson once labored in the Long Run Mission for three years, and preached 342 days in one year.
James was wounded at Stone River, and died from the affects of the wound; his body was brought home for interment.
ROBERT STEVENSON, Jr.
Robert Stevenson, Jr., farmer, Shelby township, Jefferson county, Ind. He is the second son of Robert Stevenson, Sr., of same township and county. He was born May 28, 1844, and was raised on a farm, and educated in the common schools. In August, 1861, he enlisted in Co. A, Sixth Regiment Indiana Vols., and served two years and six months, when he was discharged for disability received at Chattanooga, Jan. 6, 1864. He was in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Chickamauga and others. He was taken prisoner at Lawrenceburg, Ky. Upon returning home, as soon as he had sufficiently recovered from his disability, he resumed the life of a farmer, and has followed it ever since. In 1865 he was married to Mary E. Barber, who had formerly been married to John W. Hicks (a soldier), who was the daughter of James Barber. The result of this union was four children: James W., Lucius L., Minnie E. (who died at twenty-three months of age) and Robert F. Mr. Stevenson is a prominent member of the Baptist Church.
He has never sought an office of any kind. Having felt the great need of a good education, he is endeavoring to give his children better school advantages that he had himself. Owing to the hardships of his life in the army he is physically a wreck.
MARCUS B. SULZER
Marcus B. Sulzer, a promising young lawyer of Jefferson county, is a native of Madison, Ind. He was born April 19, 1860, and is a son of Raphael R. and Rachel (Heimidingor) Sulzer, who were natives of Alsace, France.
His father came to Madison in 1854, and engaged in the merchandise business, and retired from business about six years ago.
Mr. Sulzer was raised in Madison, and was educated in the common schools, having no money to attend the higher schools. Began to read law in 1879 with Linck & Bellamy, and was admitted to practice in 1881. He conducted many important trials before he was admitted to the bar. He made a good argument in the cases of the State vs. Cooper, and other murder cases; since coped with Jason Brown and others.
In the case of Peter Cooper for murder, he made the closing speech, and sent him up for life; Brown making the closing speech for the defense. When only 19 years of age he wrote articles pertaining to river and marine matters, which were extensively copied by leading papers of the country, which attracted the attention of Governor Williams, who appointed him, at 19, delegate to the River Convention at Quincy, Ill., and while there he responded at a banquet for Indiana. In 1880 Governor Gray removed him for being a Republican, and Governor Porter re-appointed him in 1884, and he holds that position now.
In 1882 he was elected as city attorney, which place he held for two terms. Whilst in that office he revised the city ordinances and made a book of them, which is received as the standard of the laws of the city. When his term expired the Democratic Council of the city gave him a unanimous vote of thanks for the manner in which he had performed his duties.
In 1884 he was elected as prosecutor of the Fifth Circuit; re-elected in 1886 by a majority of 769. His majority, the first time (in 1884) was 256, and is the only official who ever carried both counties in this circuit.
He is a member of the I.O.O.F., has been president of local Lodge and member of Grand Lodge, being the youngest member; he has been district judge of Grand Lodge Bnai Brith. He is one of the members; of the Republican State Central Committee, representing the Fourth Congressional District, and in 1889 was elected by the Annual Convention of Indiana Republican Clubs to represent Indiana at the National Convention of Republican Clubs, which convened at Baltimore, Md., February 25 and March 1.
ROBERT H. SWAN
Robert H. Swan, farmer, Hanover township, is a son of John and Mary R. (Thorn) Swan. His father was a native of Scotland, and came to the United States when a young man, and entered a farm in this county when James Monroe was President.
He died in 1860, at the age of 66 years, leaving a widow and eight children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the youngest. His mother was a native of Kentucky and died in 1868, at the age of 60 years.
Robert H. Swan was born June 15, 1849, upon the farm on which he now resides, in Hanover township, Jefferson county, Ind., and was reared there. He attended the common schools and the College at Hanover, and the Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio.
He took charge of the farm when only 17 years of age, and though almost without stock or farming tools, and with an invalid mother and two sisters to support, by perseverance and energy, he succeeded in making a living and stocked his farm well and put it in a good state of cultivation. His farm contains 160 acres of land well improved, and is situated four miles southwest of Hanover.
In 1875 he was married to Miss Mattie L. Arnott, daughter of Rev. Moses Arnott, who was pastor of Carmel U. P. Church for twenty-eight years. She died in 1884, leaving three children, two of whom are now living, one boy and one girl--Mary Prudence and Robert Arnott. In 1885 Mr. Swan married again to Miss Emma O., daughter of Wm. McDonald, a farmer of this county. There are no children by this marriage. Mr. Swan is a member of the Carmel Church, and acted as one of the trustees of that church for six years.
In 1881 he engaged in mercantile business in Hanover, where he remained in business for two and one-half years, when he sold out and went to Kansas.
He engaged in the confectionery business in Clay Centre, the county-seat of Clay county, Kan., and continued in business there for eight months, when he came back to his farm in this county, and has been there ever since.
