lewis family

Front matter

- | = 4 7) E | LEWIS FAMILY ____ PIONEERS OF EASTERN TENNESSEE =, __AND INDIANA TERRITORY =o: ao) |, =o | en |} =o i ‘ :-— i ft =r —O | | eis Aaa ir | pia Ka Py 1 Het WILLIAM G. LEWIS Lu | New INDEX By Racpu D. Kirkpatrick

Greene Reprinted 1979 by The Bookmark, Knightstown, Ind. 20. Koom

22932 Ha -EWIS | ‘ } Pong

Preface

The work here presented has been undertaken to preserve a family history, written many years ago by William G. Lewis of Fairmount, Indiana, for his nephew, David G. Lewis; also to preserve the data, which has been found during fifteen months of research work.

The author of the present book has aimed, in her performance to produce an authentic record and all dates, etc., given by her, were found in Bible records, deeds, histories or court records of the places herein mentioned.

It has been a very interesting work and I only hope the future generations will appreciate this history of our Pioneer Ancestors.

Mrs. Maunta G. Miller.

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Chapter I. Origin Of The Lewis Name

The name Lewis is derived from the Norwegian LJODHHUS, the sounding house. The sounding house means a building, which housed the men who took the depth of-the. sea.

, NOTES FROM THE LEWIS FAMILY HISTORIES

‘By Du Bellet and Benjamin F.: Van Meter

“The Lewis family ‘were originally French Huguenots and left France after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. Three brothers, viz., William, Samuel and John, fled: to England.

“Shortly afterwards William removed to the north of Ireland where he married a Miss McClelland. : Samuel fixed his BOSON: in Wales, while John continued in England: “General Robert~'(1) and John were ‘sons of Ne anal came to America about 1700.” ae

FROM MERIWETHER ‘LEWIS" HISTORY.

‘The Meriwether Lewis line, is, in, line. of General Robert (1) of Glouster County, Virginia. Colonel. Robert. Lewis: (A); John (3), John (2), General Robert (1), of Belvoir. Albermarle ‘County, ; Virginia, was a son of Major John Lewis (3})and Frances Fielding Lewis, his wife, married Jane, daughter of Nicholas Meriwether. He died in 1757, leaving five children.

William Lewis (5), Colonel Robert (4), John (8), John (2), General Robert (1), was a Captain in the State line during the Revolution. Married Lucy Meriwether, daughter of ORE Meriwether.

Meriwether Lewis (6), Captain William (5), Colonel Robert (4), John (3), John (2), General Robert (1), generally called the “Oregon Explorer,” son of Captain William Lewis (5), born August 18, 1774. His father died when he was four years old, so he grew up under the care of his guardian, Colonel Nicholas Lewis, his father’s brother. - He died near Nashville, Tennessee, in 1809. a iy:

fO'0, pet

FRANCIS LEWIS

“Francis Lewis, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, was born in Llandaff, Wales, March, 1713, and came to America in 1734.”

(Editor’s Note: Family tradition tells us we are related to both Meriwether Lewis and Francis Lewis, although I have been unable to trace the connection direct to them.)

NATHAN LEWIS

Nathan Lewis was born in Wales about the year of 1724. Arrived at the Port of Baltimore about 1760 or 1765. After a short time they moved to Sullivan County, North Carolina, or ‘as it is now called, Eastern Tennessee. A mill was built on the Holston river near Rotherwood, which was standing at the time of the Civil War. During the Revolutionary War Eastern Tennesee was harassed by Indians and the British, leaving little opportunity for military service.

In the summer of 1778 the Tenth Regiment was organized. A part of this regiment was taken north to West Point, a part was under Washington’s direct command and some of its men were used in frontier service. Just where Nathan Lewis served is not clear. The North Carolina records show him to have enlisted July 20, 1778, while residing on the Holston, for a period of nine months, in the Tenth Regiment, North Carolina Line, Ballards Company. A record of the movements of the Tenth Regiment, North Carolina Line, as given in Volume 13, Appendix IX, Revolutionary Records, as follows:

“These nine months continentals from eleven counties having assembled at Halifax in July, 1778, Colonel Hogun organized his regiment and marched six hundred to the northward. In August he reached Philadelphia and hastened on to Washington’s headquarters at White Plains. In November his regiment was engaged in throwing up fortifications at West Point, while the four other North Carolina regiments, constituting the Brigade then under command of Colonel Clarke and numbering twelve hundred rank and file, were with Washington at Fredericksburg, thirty miles farther east on the Connecticut line.”

“In January, 1779, Congress gave tardy recognition of our North Carolina troops and elected Sumner and Hogun to be Brigadier Generals. Other companies of these new Continentals went into camp at Dulpine Court House at Salisbury and Hillsboro and some marched to Peytonsburg, but Congress, having failed to send the money offered as bounty, most of them remained at home and eventually orders were issued, placing them on furlough until March.”

Appendix XI, Volume 13.

Part of an answer to Washington’s Letter.

“No troops can be expected from Washington County. Their whole strength is employed in the suppression of the savages and other inhuman wreckers who have their livelihood from carnage and rapine.”

(Editor’s Note: It was at first thought that Nathan Lewis settled in Baltimore, Md., before going to North Carolina, but a search of the records at Baltimore Court House, both as to grantees and grantors, from the year of 1655 to 1797, failed to show the name of Nathan Lewis as dealing in any land there.)

Nathan Lewis was the father ef five children, all or most of them being born in Wales. ‘Their names were: David, born 1758, George and Washington, sons, and two daughters, of which only one name, Rachel, is given. After the death of Nathan fers a es Mh in Eastern Tennessee or what was known

en as Hawkins County, the estate was i i all left that part of the country. se ee, ae

MIDSHIPMAN CLAIR L. MILLER

(Editor’s Note: Midshipman Clair L. Miller, of the United States Naval Academy, a fourth great-grandson of Nathan Lewis, is the first one of his descendants to prove up on his Revolutionary services. He was accepted as a member of the Children of the Revolution, February 9, 1928. He is the son of Frank C. and Maunta G. Miller, was born April 29, 1907, in Marion, Indiana. He graduated from the Marion High School in 1924 at the age of 17 years, enlisted in the United States Navy at Indianapolis in June, 1924. Was sent to the Hampton Roads training school at Hampton Roads, Virginia, passed the examination for entrance in the Annapolis Class and remained in school there until May, 1925, when he took the final examination which he passed and gained his entrance in the Naval Academy of Annapolis, Maryland, on June 15, 1925. He was elected president of the Class of ’29 on September 28, 1927, he being the first in ten years to come up from the ranks of an enlisted man, to be so honored. He is also secretary of the Naval Academy Christian Association. Academically he stood number one in his Company and number four in his Battalion for the past two years’ work.

He has been active in three sports, football, basketball and lacrosse, having earned eight letters so far in competition at the Academy, also three major “N” stars, for having participated in games in which the Navy defeated the Army. He is the only man in the Academy at the present time who is wearing three stars on his sweater. On February 27, 1928, he was elected captain of the basketball team for the 1928-’29 season, which also makes him the first man to come up from the ranks and hold this position. He vf is now a Junior, and will graduate in June, 1929, when he will be commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy at the age of twenty two years.)

PAVED G. LEWIS

From ‘‘The Making of a Township,” by Baldwin.

David G. Lewis, of Fairmount, Indiana, for whom the Lewis history was written, by his uncle, William G. Lewis, was born two and a half miles southeast of Fairmount, on what was known as the John Leach farm, August 16, 1862. His paternal grandparents were David and Nancy (George) Lewis; his maternal grandparents were Morgan and Susan (Payne) Lewis.

Morgan O. Lewis, the father and a former Township Trustee, was born in Fairmount Township, January 21, 1836, and died January 18, 1884. The mother, Mariah Lewis, was born at Nauvoo, Illinois, May 4, 1844 and died in November, 1901.

David G. Lewis was educated in the common schools of Fairmount Township. In 1868 he attended his first school at Sugar Grove, which was taught by his father. All his life he has followed farming. For thirty-five years he has studied tree culture and his nursery on South Mill street is an evidence of his perseverance and industry. For several years he was a stockholder and director in the Fairmount Fair Association. He is a selfmade man. By his own efforts, unaided, he has met with success from humble beginning. In 1914 he was elected Trustee of Fairmount Township and served four years. He was the first to secure state aid for vocational training in Fairmount Township, which enables boys over fourteen and under twenty-five years of age, to secure competent instruction in various vocations. In politics he is a Democrat and has served his party as Precinct Committeeman, Secretary of the Township Committee and as a member of the Finance Committee. He has been active in all organized movements of the past to eliminate the saloon or the sale of liquor in the county and township. The esteem in which he is held is evidenced by his election as President repeatedly, of the Grant County Township Trustee Association. He was reared in the Methodist Protestant church. In June, 1899, he was married at Jonesboro, Indiana, to Miss Mintie Ward, only child of Austin P. and Lucinda A. Ward, and a granddaughter of Elijah Ward, who helped to organize the First Methodist church of Fairmount Township. They are the parents of one son, Iliff Ward Lewis, born January 30, 1903, who is in the nursery business with his father. He recently married Sarah J. Leach, daughter of Charles and Minnie Payne Leach, and resides at 415 South Mill street, near the nursery. David has spent all his life (with the exception of eleven months, spent in Hand County, South Dakota) in Fairmount Township.

A BRIEF SKETCH OF WILLIAM G. AND DAVID LEWIS, JR.

By DAVID G. LEWIS

Being interested in my grandfather and grandmother Lewis’ family, I went to my Uncle William G. Lewis, who was nine years old when he came to Grant County, and asked him to write a brief history of their family. He requested me to get some writing material, which I did, and he wrote the history as it appears in this little book. A short time before his death he told me that as soon as he was able he intended to enlarge and rewrite the whole history, but did not live to do, hence, if there is any apology or correction to be made it is too late now, as he has passed to his Great Reward. I will give a brief history of Uncle William, as I knew him from my boyhood until his death.

He was the oldest living son of Grandfather’s family, a man possessed of more than ordinary physical and mental strength; height about 5 feet 10 inches, weighing as much as two hundred twenty or thirty pounds; the very picture of health and with a strong personality, who always impressed his hearer with his sincerity of purpose. His complexion was very fair, with blue eyes and brown hair. He has told of his business career but I might add that he was greatly assisted by his good wife, Emoline, and they fought the battles of life together, a few years past their Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1903, at which time their relatives, neighbors and friends came from far and near with well filled baskets and spent the day with them. A long table was spread beneath the shade of the old apple trees in the orchard and a feast was enjoyed by all. A gold headed cane was presented to Uncle William, a gold lined silver thimble and a gold ring was presented to Aunt Emoline. Pictures were taken of all present, and when the sun set low in the west, bid them goodbye, after spending a most happy day and one long to be remembered.

“Uncle Billy’ as we sometimes called him, was a success as a business man, owning a good farm southeast of Fairmount at the time of his death. He was also a successful Minister of the Gospel and one of the greatest achievements of his Ministry was the Revival Meeting held in the old Grant school house in 1885. He was ably assisted in those meetings by the late Zimri C. Osborn, Lucinda Ward and Louisa Payne Thorn, and others. Elsberry Payne and Mrs. Rachel Deshon, who had recently been converted were two of the younger ones who took an active part in these services. The meetings commenced on March 19th and continued almost day and night for about eleven days. The results were that 173 people were converted and united with the church. This community has never known such an awakening before or since. A class was immediately organized and a new church building erected across from the school house, which was named Pleasant Grove, and is standing yet today, where regular Sunday School and Church services are conducted by Reverend F. M. Iliff, who was among the first pastors of the church. This church is located about a mile and a half east of Uncle William’s home and for the past four years the Lewis reunion has been held at this place. Uncle William’s death occurred in January, 1906, at his home on the farm. His funeral was conducted by the Masonic Order, from the Congregational church at Fairmount, Indiana, burial in Park Cemetery. Aunt Emoline, his wife, passed away in May, 1916. Her funeral was held from the Methodist church and burial in Park Cemetery at Fairmount.

I will now give a brief description of Grandfather and Grandmother Lewis. Grandfather was a man of medium height, dark complexion, always wearing a beard, as his picture shows. He was a man of great endurance, a good conversationalist and very religiously inclined. He had a great abhorrence of the wrong, and was always contending for the right as he saw it. Grandmother was rather a large woman, light compiexion, with blue eyes and brown hair. She was a good, Christian woman, very industrious and anxious for her children’s welfare. Among the greatest events of my life when young, was the evenings spent with Grandfather and Grandmother, when my cousin, George Ice and I, while sitting before the old fire place, would listen to the many tales of pioneer life that Grandfather would tell us. Grandmother passed away April 2, 1877, at the age of 72 years. Grandfather passed away November 13, 1885, at the age of 81 years. They are buried in the Zion Chapel Cemetery in Delaware County and tombstones mark each of their graves. I have always felt that any merits which may be due any of us was inherited from Grandfather and Grandmother Lewis.

To the relatives and readers of this little book I feel we owe a debt of gratitude to Mrs. Maunta Miller of Marion, Indiana, a great granddaughter of David and Nancy Lewis, for her untiring efforts in compiling this history, which has been made authentic by her search of many County and State records.

WILLIAM G. LEWIS EMOLINE OSBORN LEWIS

Chapter II. History Of The Lewis Family

By WILLIAM G. LEWIS

I have been requested by my nephew, David G. Lewis, to give a short history of my Grandfather’s family on both sides. My Grandfather on Father’s side was David Lewis, son of Nathan Lewis, of Wales. He had two brothers, George and Washington. They had two sisters. My Grandfather married a woman by the name of Elizabeth Hawkins. She was a sister to Rebecca, Davy Crocket’s mother. They had eleven children; Nathan, born January 1, 1790; Jane, born December 27, 1790; John, born October, 1792; Morgan, born 1794; Rebecca, born 1795; Nellie, born 1797; Polly (or Mary) born 1798; Celia, born 1799; Sarah (or Sally) born 1800; Betsey (or Elizabeth) born 1802 and David, Jr., born May, 1804.

(I) Nathan Lewis married a woman by the name of Jane Trusley. They had six children as follows: Rev. J. W. Lewis, Asberry Lewis, David Lewis, and the girls were Mary, Rebecca and Catherine. Nathan was in the War of 1812.

(II) John Lewis married a woman by the name of Susannah Barber and to them was born nine children: David, Wesley, Moses, int

Simeon, Clark, Lifelet, Nathan, Hulda and Harriet. John Lewis was also in the War of 1812.

(III) Morgan Lewis married a woman by the name of Susannah Payne. To them was born nine children: William, Nathan, George, John, Mary, Deborah, Rebecca, Mariah and Evoline.

(IV) Jane Lewis married a man by the name of John Harley, to them was born seven children: Lewis, Mary, Hagey, Sarah, John D., Rebecca and Nancy J.

(V) Nellie Lewis married a man by the name of John Weston, to them was born nine children: David, Joseph, Sarah, James, Elizabeth, Simon, Thomas, John and Wesley.

(VI) Rebecca Lewis married a man by the name of Jacob Miller, to them was born five children: George, David, Martha, Jessy and Catherine.

(VII) Celia Lewis married a man by the name of William Payne, to them was born twelve children as follows: Morgan L., Thomas, James G., Washington, John F., David L., Margaret E., Allen W., William L., Wessley, Jane and Morris.

(VII) Sarah Lewis married a man by the name of Williamson Collet, to them was born one child; her name was Martha.

(IX) Elizabeth Lewis married a man by the name of James Wise, to them was born six children: Sarah, William L., George, Irena, Parthena and Martha E.

(X) Polly Lewis married a man b ythe name of John Campbell. They had two children; Nancy and Mariah.

(XI) David Lewis Jr., my father, married a woman by the name of Nancy George, to them was born ten children as follows: William G., born 1826, Wessley B., born 1828 and died November 26, 1845; Mary, born 1829; James W., born 1832; Sarah J., born 1833; Morgon O., born 1836; Evoline, born 1837; Rebecca Anne, born 1842; John S. D., born 1844, and Elizabeth, born 1845.

MARRIAGES OF FATHER’S FAMILY

William G. married Emoline Osborn, to them was born eight children: Louisa Evoline, James Oliver, Mary, died in her twentieth year, Rachel E., Nancy Jane, died when young, David Henry, and two died in infancy.

My sister, Mary, or Polly, married John Leach, to them was born seven children: Nancy L., Sarah Jane, Esom O., James Edward, Mary, Martha A., and David (died in infancy).

My brother, James W., married Isabell Ward. They had three children, Johnnie died when young, William A. and Nancy E.

My sister, Sarah J., married Ransom Ice, to them was born six children. Frederick died when young. David O., Rebecca Jane, George W., John Will and Nancy.

My brother, Morgon O., married Mariah Lewis, and to them was born eight children as follows: Hamilton, died in infancy, David G., Nancy Elizabeth, John D. R., Janie, died in infaney, William J., Mary S., and Rachel, (died in infancy.)

My sister Evoline married Elias Vuncannon. They have one child, Lydia Jane.

My sister Rebecca Ann married Madison Haynes, to them was born six children: Nancy Elizabeth, Charley died when young, ae died in infancy, Ida died when young, Mary Jane and William.

My brother John S. D., married Hannah McCoy. They have three children: Mack, Minnie and Allie.

My sister Elizabeth, married Jasper Leach and to them was born six children, Mary, Gertrude, Charley, ELE and two who died in infancy.

-.(Editor’s Note: The fourth annual reunion of the descendents of David Jr., and Nancy Lewis was held September 4, 1927, at which time there were 281 living descendents.)

Grandfather’s brother, George married a woman by the name of Elizabeth Johnson in Tennessee, to them was born seventeen children. I will give their names but not their births: Nathan (died when young), John, William, Philip, Joshua, Ephriam, Benjamin and George were the sons. The girls’ names were Sarah, Mary, Jane, Eleanor (or Nellie), Rebecca, Adah, Nancy, Elizabeth and Rachel. Rachel married Soloman Mason.

(Editor’s Note: Jane married Stephen Thorn. They were the grandparents of Stephen Thorn of Marion, Indiana. Nellie married Morris Payne, and were the parents of Ephriam Payne. Nancy married John Janney, and were the grandparents of George and Monroe Robertson, Elizabeth married first Mr. Atcheson and second Mr. Keever, Sarah married Mr. Ashley of Dearborn county. Ephriam and Philip moved to Kansas, Missouri. Joshua died in Tllinois.)

Note by Charles Lewis, Summitville, Indiana.

William Lewis, son of George Lewis, married Sarah Lawrence and resided in Boone county, Indiana. He was quite a trapper and hunter. For a time he worked on a river boat. He would go to Lafayette and float down the Wabash river to the Mississinewa and on down to New Orleans. They would load up with freight and dispose of it and sell their boat and get back the best way they could. One night while going on one of their trips they passed a cabin where negroes were singing and dancing. In just a little while they passed another cabin just like the first one and so on until they had passed several all alike. So when morning came they found they were in a whirl poo] and had been going in a circle all night.

Another trip when they were taking some passengers, their boat sprung a leak. William’ Lewis worked so long in the water carrying women and children to safety that he contracted pneumonia and was very sick. This was in 1840. He lived many years longer, however. His death occurred in 1874.

(Editor’s Note: They were the grandparents of Charles Lewis of Summitville, and Rev. Emma Payne and William R. Lewis of Fairmount, Indiana.)

Note by Charles Lewis of Summitville, Indiana: Benjamin

Lewis married Sarah Dunn and lived in Delaware county, Indiana. He took a contract to build four miles of railroad in Delaware county. It was surveyed from Chicago to Cincinnati. The C. & O. road is now on part of the old right-of-way between Fowlerton and Gaston. Indiana. He got part of the grade completed and ties laid when the company broke up. In order to pay off his hands, he sold his farm and all his belongings, which left him penniless. He got a friend to back him for money enough to take him to California to the gold fields. His family remained in Indiana. The varty traveled by horse back, on foot and by boat and many times had to camp without fire to keep the Indians from locating them. He was fortunate enough to find gold so came back home by the way of Cuba. He had enough gold dust to finish paying his debts and bought 100 acres of land in the Bouie settlement. The gold dust was carried in goose quills. This took place in the early sixties.)

(Editor’s Note: Sarah Dunn was the second wife of Benjamin Lewis. He was the father of two sons, Wade and Carl, by his first wife.)

Of Grandfather’s brother Washington, I know but little, except that he went to Alabama and one of his decendents was Governor of the State of Alabama at one time.

(Editor’s Note: I think it must have been a grandson of Washington Lewis, who was Governor of Alabama. The records show thet David Peter Lewis was born July 3, 1834, in Charlotte county, Virginia, was the son of Peter C., and Mary Smith (Buster) Lewis of Virginia. His father was of Welsh and his mother English ancestry. He moved to Madison county, Alabama, in childhood, had college education, studying law in Huntsville, Alabama. Represented Lawrence county in the State Constitutional convention of 1861. Elected to Confederate Congress and _ resigned. Appointed Judge of the Circuit Court of Alabama in 1863. Elected Governor by the Republican party in 1872 and served until 1874. Resumed law practice in Huntsville, where he lived until he died, date not given. Unmarried. Being a Republican Governor during the reconstruction period, southern history does not give a very clear record as they still cling to their Confederate ancestors with great pride and have never overcome the feeling against the Republicans.)

Of grandfather’s two sisters I know but little. One of them, Rachel, married a man by the name of Johnathan Webb. He was in the war of 1812. The other sister married a man by the name of Moses Barber. One of Johnathan and Rachel (Lewis) Webb’s children was my aunt by marriage, having married my mother’s brother, John George. Her name was Rachel.

(Editor’s Note: Johnathan Webb was among those who were the first to pay taxes in Franklin county in 1811. Was taxed: for five horses.)

(Editor’s Note: Records have been found of the families of three children of Johnathan and Rachel Webb as follows: Ruth married Hugh Brison; Rachel married John George and Johnathan Jr., married Francis Alley Stacey.)

After the death of my great grandfather, Nathan Lewis and his wife, which occurred in Tennessee, my grandfather, David Lewis and family, his brother George and his family, with their two sisters, Johnathan Webb’s wife and Moses Barber’s wife, started to this country. That was about the year 1808 or 1809. They’came a day’s trail and stayed all night at Uncle John Crocket’s. The next day John, Davey’s brother, came with them a day’s trail, stayed one night and went back the next day. That was very common in those days, for some one to go a day or so trail with persons starting to a new country.

I have heard my father tell of his father staying all night at Uncle John Crocket’s, when Davey had run away from the school master and his father. He said Davy’s mother thought his father was too hard on him and that they both cried while talking about it.

From Tennessee they came through the Cumberland Gap and on into this country when it was yet a territory and settled in Dearborn county, for a short time, then my grandfather came to Franklin county, Indiana, and entered land on Big Salt Creek, where he remained until his death, which occurred in 1919 or 1920. The death of grandmother occurred soon after. They are buried in the Barnes graveyard.

In Franklin county occurred the marriages of Father’s brothers and sisters and from there they have scattered to different parts of the country, mostly the west.

(Editor’s Note: The records of Franklin county, Indiana, show an entry from the government to David Lewis, February 23, 1814, of 360 acres of land. Nathan Lewis entered land on Salt Creek in 1814.)

(Editor’s Note: In the history of Dearborn and Ohio counties, in Kelso Township, is shown a deed to part of Section 10 to George Lewis, date 1816.)

(Editor’s Note: In the list of Indiana soldiers of the War of 1812, given in the Dearborn and Ohio history, may be found the names of George Lewis, Nathan Lewis and Major John Lewis.)

(Editor’s Note: In the Franklin County, Indiana records of early marriages in Franklin county, “Nathan Lewis was married to Jane Trusler, September 30, 1813, by Lewis Deweesee.” “John Lewis was married to Susanna Barber January 5, 1817 by Lewis Deweesee.”

(Editor’s Note: Mrs. Ella Fey of near Rushville, Indiana, has in her possession the original deed, which is dated October 30, 1834, by which David Lewis, Jr., conveyed to Andrew George the north half of the northeast quarter of Section 16, Township 11, Range 12, containing 80 acres of land, located in Salt Creek township, Franklin County, Indiana. The log house which was built by David Lewis is now standing. This farm is now owned by the two brothers of Mrs. Fey, William and Arthur Marlin. The farm is located on Big Salt Creek, about six miles from Oldenburg, Indiana.

Andrew George was a brother-in-law to David Lewis, Jr. He: married Nancy Adams and to them were born seven children: William, James, Hiram, Serena, Emily, Evoline and Caroline. Mrs. Fey, William and Arthur Marlin are children of Caroline.)

DAVID AND NANCY (GEORGE) LEWIS

OUR TRIP TO GRANT COUNTY

On the eleventh of November, 1834, my father and mother and five children, William G., Wessley B., Mary, James W., and Sarah J., left Franklin county, Indiana, and came to Grant county. The balance of Father’s family was born in Grant county. The household goods were loaded in a two-horse wagon drawn by two bob-tailed horses, having just been brought from the east that fall. They were owned by a man by the name of Johnson. We were seven days on the road, a distance that can be traveled now in that many hours. The roads were bad and we had to travel slow as part of us would have to walk part of the time. We came by the way of Connersville and from there to Muncie. They told father the roads were so bad between there and where Wheeling now stands, that we could not get through, so we had to take the river road through Granville. It was on this road that we broke down, broke an axle to the wagon. It was about noon when it happened and we were close to a man by the name of