MILTON S. VAWTER
Milton S. Vawter was born February 17, 1829, in Madison township, Jefferson county, Ind. He is the son of James and Sarah B. (Watts) Vawter, who were natives of East Tennessee and Boone county, Ky. (See sketch of James Vawter, Among the early settlers of the county).
Milton S. Vawter was born in the house in which he now lives, on a farm, and was reared upon it.
At the age of 20 he became a clerk for his brother, John W. Vawter, at North Madison, in the spring of 1849. He afterward engaged as a clerk for R. M. J. Cox, in the business of merchandise, at Taylorsville, Bartholemew county, Ind., for one year.
In June 1850, he commenced business for himself, and continued until the fall of same year, when he sold out to Mr. George Brown, and returned to Jefferson county, to assist his brother, J. W. Vawter, in building plank roads.
In 1851, went to Elizabethtown, Bartholomew county, Ind., and commenced merchandising, and continued until 1855. He then went to Baton Rouge, La., to assist his brother in building plank roads. In 1856 he went to Amity, Johnson county, Ind., with a new stock of merchandise, and continued there until 1868. From there he went to Martinsville, Morgan county, Ind.,and ran a flouring mill for one year.
Early in 1860 he opened a dry-goods store in Madison, Ind., and continued until fall of 1861, when he sold out his stock.
In 1863 he was engaged on the river, on which he filled several places, from watchman to captain--was on Clara Dunning, David White and Alice V., part of the time in the United States Government service, on the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. Continued river life until spring of 1867. In December, 1867, he opened up in business again in North Madison, and in 1869 sold out, and again went to Madison, where he sold goods for a short time; then constructed a storeroom at his home on the farm, where he continued to do business.
Mr. Vawter was married in Adams county, Ohio, December, 1865, to Miss Aurena L. Vawter, a native of Jefferson county, Indiana, by whom he has three children: Frank C., Lennie F. and Bert W.; the latter died in infancy. September 4, 1872. His wife died October 31, 1872.
He was married a second time, November 16, 1876, to Susan G. Sebree, a native of Gallatin county, Kentucky.
Mr. Vawter owns 275 acres of land in Jefferson county. He received a very limited education, but is a thorough business man.
Judge John Watts, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Virginia in 1767, and came to Dearborn county, Indiana, about 1817; was a Baptist preacher and was a judge of the county courts in very early times in this State.
The name of Vawter is derived from the French.
CAPT. ARGUS D. VANOSDOL
Capt. Argus D. Vanosdol is a native of Jefferson county, Ind. He was born September 18, 1839. He is a son of Thomas J. Vanosdol and Charlotte (Eastwood) Vanosdol.
Thomas J. Vanosdol was born in Mercer county, Ky., in 1813, and came to Vevay, Switzerland county, Ind., in the year 1818. In 1833 he located in Madison. Was a cutter and dealer in stone, and a builder. He spent the last thirty years of his life on a farm, in Switzerland county, Ind. He died April 11, 1886. Charlotte Eastwood Vanosdol was born in Ohio.
The great-grandfather (Stewart) of Capt. Vanosdol was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was a native of Massachusetts Colony, but entered the army from the State of New York.
Capt. Vanosdol's paternal grandfather, Jacob Vanosdol, was one of the Kentucky Rangers during the war of 1811-12; was at the battle of Tippecanoe with Gen. W. H. Harrison, and was engaged in other battles in that war.
His maternal grandfather, Eastwood, was a German by birth, and was also a soldier in the War of 1812.
July 4, 1861, Captain A. D. Vanosdol enlisted in Co. A, Third Regiment Indiana Cavalry, as a private soldier. He was made Sergeant-Major, and afterward promoted to the captaincy of Co. I, same regiment, in February, 1862. He continued in this position until the summer of 1863, when he was discharged on account of injuries received in the battles of 1862 and at Stone River.
After his health was restored, early in 1865, he enlisted as a private in Co. B, 156th Regiment Indiana Vols., and was immediately promoted to the first lieutenancy of his company, and served the most of the time on detached duty, until his discharge in August, 1865.
Capt. Vanosdol was educated in the common schools and at the State University; and from the law department of that institution he graduated, with honor, in 1870.
In May, 1871, he located in Madison in the practice of law. He is a hard student, possesses a fine memory, and stands high at the bar as a lawyer. In 1886, while in California attending the National Encampment of the G. A. R., he was tendered the nomination for Congress in his district by his party, but declined.
Capt. Vanosdol was Inspector-General of G.A.R. in 1886, upon the staff of Gen. S. Burdette, Commander-in-Cheif of G. A. R., and is at present Department Commander of Department of Indiana G.A.R. He is also colonel of the Fourth Regiment of Indiana Brigade Uniform Rank of K. of P. In politics he is a Republican.
His wife was a Miss Mary C. Henry, to whom he was married in August, 1862.
