BALES-Moses - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Moses Bales, farmer, Harveysburg, was born in Cumberland Co PA June 2, 1813. His parents, Moses and Isabella (Wallace) Bales, were natives of Pa and his granfather, Abraham Bales was an Englishman and emigrated to America, settling in Pa. Moses, the father of the subject of the sketch was a Quaker and when required to fight in the war of 1812 took the gun offered him and placing it in the fork of a tree broke it in twain, indicative of his position regarding war. He and wife died in Pa. At their death they were connected with the Methodist Episcopal church. In thier family are 8 children, all well fixed in the world. Moses, Jr. being deprived of his mother at the age of 11 years, left home to fight the world's battles alone. He worked two years at blacksmithing, but this proved too severe for his physique. He then spent 3 years as a hatter in Gettysburg then that of plasterer which he followed 40 years working the first 2 years in Harrisburg. in 1833, with $11 in pocket and proud of his wealth, he started west walking over the Alleghany mountains. On the west side of the mountains he took stage for PIttsburg and then in August boarding a boat and laying his knapsack on the floor for a pillow, laid himself down to rest and sailed to Cincinnati. From there he went to Dayton, then Xenia where he remained two years, then marrie Julia Ann Bales (if any relative very distant), and settled in Greene Co Ohio and remained 23 years. In 1844 he moved to Linn Co, Iowa and back to Green Co where he stayed 6 years longer. He next lived one year and a half in Illinois, and in 1853 moved to Fountain County, Indiana and settled in Mill Creek Twp where he bought 160 acres of land and added till he owned 404 acres. He sold a part of this and went to Ottawa County, Missouri for 6 months, then Iowa 18 months and back to his present home. He now owns 263 acres. He received but little education, yet has, by hard work good management, done well in life. Mr. Bales is a Mason & Knigths of Pythias. He used to be a whig, but for many years has been a Republican. Mr. and Mrs. Bales are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They have had 14 children: John, William H, Eliz A and Emma A (dec); and Phebe J, Isabella, Hiram, Edward, Samuel, Elisha J, Jonathan, Wesley, Harvey & James W, living. Hiram served 9 months in the Civil War in Co I 40th Ind and was in the battles of Spring Hill Columbus, Franklin, Nashville, etc. Edward served one year in Co I 312st Ind. Elisha J, Jonathan and Wesley, now own a silver mine in New Mexico where they are mining.