JESSE B. THOMAS
Jesse B. Thomas is the son of Elias Thomas, who was born in Virginia, and removed to Kentucky, and from there to Indiana, before the subject of our sketch was born, and was one of the pioneer settlers of the State.
Mr. Jesse B. Thomas was born in 1807 near Madison. At that time the site of Madison was almost an unbroken forest; there was only one buckeye cabin there, built by James Hall.
Mr. Thomas was raised during the trying times of the early settlers. The Indians were so troublesome at times that the settlers were compelled to fly to the blockhouse for safety.
The subject of this sketch was married, at the age of 21, to Jane Miller, a daughter of Robert Miller, who was also a pioneer.
Mr. Thomas and wife raised a family of six children: William H., Sarah E., James M., Daniel F., Henry C. and Robert P. Mrs. Thomas died in 1852. Some ten years later he married Anna Staten, who was born in Kentucky; they had no children. James and Henry C., sons of Mr. Thomas, served through the war of the Rebellion, and were at the surrender of Richmond.
The father of Mr. Thomas was a noted hunter; he killed bear, deer and turkeys enough to keep the family in meat. He was one of the Rangers in Indian times.
Daniel F. Thomas, fourth son of the subject of this sketch, was raised on a farm; was born in 1840, and educated in the common schools; owns 80 acres of land, and is taking care of his father in his old age and an orphan daughter of his brother Robert. He cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, and still votes the Republican ticket.
MARK TILTON
Mark Tilton was born in Wilmington, Delaware, August 22, 1822. His father was Dr. James Tilton, a native of the State of Delaware, and his mother was a Miss Fanny Gibson, a native of the eastern shore of Maryland.
His grand-uncle, Dr. James Tilton, after whom his father was named, was the first surgeon-general appointed in the United States army, and was the first member of Congress sent from the State of Delaware. He was also a member of the Order of Cincinnatus, the badge of which order was presented to him by the Marquis De La Lafayette. This badge is still retained in the family and is handed down regularly to the eldest living male member of the family. It had been in the possession of Mark Tilton for many years and up to the time of his death.
In 1827 Mark Tilton's father left Delaware with his family, and settled in Madison, Jefferson county, Indiana, where he remained many years practicing his profession, and about three years before his death, which occurred in 1841, he removed to a farm in the northern portion of the county, upon a portion of which land he located the site of the present thriving village of Dupont.
Mark Tilton, when about seventeen years of age, obtained a situation in the Branch Bank, at Madison, of the State Bank of Indiana, where he remained twenty-one years, occupying most of the time the position of teller. He was married to Miss Amanda Dunn, a daughter of Judge Dunn, of Hanover, Indiana, January 4, 1848, and has but one child living, Elizabeth R. Tilton. While in the bank he was appointed by President Lincoln, United States Pension Agent for the district in which he lived. It was not long after he was appointed that the business of the agency so increased that he was obliged to resign his position in the Bank and devote his whole attention to the duties of his office. He retained the Pension Agency seventeen years and until, during the administration of President hayes, the agency was removed to Indianapolis.
Mr. Tilton had the reputation of being one of the most faithful and efficient officers in the pension service. His systematic habits and thorough acquaintance with the details of the office, the neatness and correctness of his accounts with the Government, and his untiring pains to accommodate and protect the pensioned soldier and the soldier's widow from the extortion of unworthy claim against agents, made him a valuable officer to the Government and very popular with the soldier element of his district.
In 1877 he was appointed to a clerkship in the pension office in Washington, and moved his family to that city. He had not served long in the office before he was promoted to the position of assistant chief in one of the divisions in the Pension Bureau; and retained the position up to the time of his death, which occurred March 10, 1887.
Mark Tilton was a Knight Templar of the Masonic Order and a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church. He was a good citizen, a kind husband, and an indulgent father, a faithful and warmhearted friend; he had a heart that always responded to the wants of the needy and afflicted. His success in life was achieved by his following strictly the old adage, that "What is worth doing at all is worth doing well." There are few men that have gone through life with a cleaner record than Mark Tilton.
REV. JAMES W. TURNER
Rev. James W. Turner, A. M., Pastor of Trinity M. E. Church, Madison, Indiana, was born August 11, 1857, in Dearborn county, Ind., and brought up in Southern Indiana. His father, being a Methodist preacher, moved around a great deal. His father, Isaac Turner, and his mother, Alice Kenyon, were natives of England, and were married there and came to the United States in 1854, and located in Southern Indiana. His father was one of the pioneer preachers of Southern Indiana, and is still in the ministry, in active work; he is now located at Paris, Jennings county, Ind. Mr. James W. Turner was educated in the common schools of the county, and finished his education at Moore's Hill College, spending five years at that institution, and receiving the degree of A. M. in 1876. Two years before this time, he had preached his first sermon, at Delaware, Ripley county, Ind. In 1878 he began regular work as a preacher in the Southeastern Indiana Conference of the M. E. Church, and has been engaged in that service ever since. At present he is Pastor of Trinity Church, Madison, in his second year. It is the finest church edifice in the city and has a membership of 630.
He was married, July 29, 1880, to Miss Lizzie Woodfill, daughter of William S. Woodfill, of Greensburg, Indiana, of one of the oldest families of Decatur county. They have four living children: Rollin A., Sarah A., William W. and Wesley J.
Rev. Mr. Turner is a member of the Freemasons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and the Order of the Golden Cross. He has delivered lectures on all of these orders in the principal cities of Southern Indiana. Mr. Turner's library is one of the finest in the State, containing the best encyclopedias, choicest works on theology and history, the leading books of science and fiction, and apparently all books that would pertain to the library of a student; thus having the tools at his hand to fit him thoroughly for his work.
