CLAYPOOL-Evans - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Shawnee township EVANS CLAYPOOL, farmer, Attica. The father of this subject Wilson Claypool, was born in Randolph county Virginia, and in the spring of 1822 immigrated from Ross county Ohio to Sugar Creek, just below Yountsville in Fountain County. There he entered 320 acres of land, going at that time to Terre Haute, the land office not having yet been removed to Crawfordsville. Next year he sold it for $1100 and went back to Ohio and married in Highland county, March 2 1824, Sarah Evans. In October they arrived in Shawnee township and here our subject was born, on the place where he now lives, February 24 1825. The house in which he resides was built by his father in 1826, and was the second frame dwelling erected in Shawnee township, another having been built a little earlier in the same year. Thomas Clawson was the carpenter who did the work on both. This has been repaired and re-clapboarded and is the oldest occupied house in the township. Mr. Claypool's father died July 18 1876 aged seventy-eight years, and his mother is living with him at the age of seventy-five, in good health, and active for one of her advanced years. He has 260 acres in his homestead, four miles from Attica. He is republican in politics, and has lived a celibate life. In his father's family were eight sons and two daughters. Evans and Benjamin died in infancy, Horatio, Solomon, Richard W., Augustus L., Abram, Jacob (dead), Elizabeth wife of Nelson Case, of Oswego Kansas, and Maria wife of Joseph Shannon, living in Woodson county Kansas. Jacob served as a three-months soldier at the beginning of the war. He reenlisted and was mustered into the service August 6 1862, as an orderly sergeant in the 63rd Ind. Vols.; he was promoted to second lieutenant and had been recommended for a captaincy but when Sherman's army was on the Chattahoochie river he received an injury there by a horse stepping on his breast when he was down, and died at Altoona Georgia, July `7 1864, before his commission came to hand. His remains were brought home and deposited in the Shawnee Cemetery, October 27 1865. Horatio was a soldier two years. His biography may be found in Troy township. Augusta served just a year as a sergeant in Co. A 63rd Ind. Vols. From August 6 1862 to August 6 1863, he was then mustered out to be mustered as Adjutant of the 118th Ind. Reg. and served his time of six months. In August and September of 1863, four six months regiments were raised and organized by the state- 115th, 116th, 117th, and 118th. Abram was captain of Co C 116th. The Claypools are an ancient and honorable family, that trace their recorded ancestry back to the remote past

Evans CLAYPOOL is pleasantly situated on Sec. 21, Shawnee Twp, where he owns one of the finest farms for which Fountain County is so justly celebrated. This was also the place of his birth, which occurred Feb 24, 1825. His father, Wilson Claypool was born in Randolph Co, VA Aug 17, 1798 and was a son of Abraham Claypool one of the pioneers of Ross County, Ohio whither he emigrated from VA when the father of our subject was just two years of age. The latter was reared to agricultural pursuits, and early became a practical farmer. After his marriage, March 2, 1824, with Sarah, daughter of Richard EVANS, a prominent farmer of Highland County, he came to Indiana and settled for the summer at Connersville. In October of that year he wended his way through the wilderness to Shawnee Twp, and was one of the first to locate at this point. He bought land on Sec 21, and busied himself in the years that followed in reclaiming it from a state of nature. He first built a little cabin, in which he and his family lived two years, and he then replaced it by the substantial house which is still standing on the place, and this was his home until he closed his eyes in death July 18, 1876. When he came here there were but few settlers; Indians remained at their old haunts, and deer, wild turkeys and other game were plentiful, so that whatever else the family lacked in pioneer days, they were always provided with the choicest of wild meats. Mr. Claypool was much prospered in his calling and, adding from time to time to his original purchase, he had 700 acres of land at the time of his death. In politics, he allied himself with the Whigs in early days. His wife survives him, living with her son on the old homestead and is probably the oldest settler residing in the county. She was born Nov 13, 1805 and is still strong and active for a woman of her advanced years. She has ever led a Christian life, and has for many years been an earnest working member of the Presbyterian Church. She and her husband had 8 sons and two daughters. 9 of their children grew to maturity and 7 are still living: Evans; Benjamin, born May 27, 1826 died in infancy; Horatio R, born Feb 24, 1828 is in business at Covington; Solomon C, born August 17, 1829, and a prominent lawyer of Indianapolis; Robert W. C. who was born March 12, 1831, and is a farmer at Williamsport; Augustus Lewis, born Jan 22, 1833 is now in business at Springfield, Ohio with his brother-in-law, John W. BOOKWALTER; Abraham, who was born Jan 28, 1835 is a stock dealer at Ludlow, Ill; Jacob C, born March 2, 1840 was a Lt. of Co. H, 63rd Indiana Infantry; and sacrificed his life for his country, dying of sickness while in the army; Elizabeth born March 21, 1842, married Nelson CASE and died Feb 2, 1892; and Sarah Maria, born Jan 14, 1846 is now the wife of Joseph SHANNON a farmer of Kansas. Evans Claypool received a practical training in farming and for several years devoted himself to agricultural pursuits, and kept his farm of 300 acres up to a good standard of cultivation but has now retired from active labor, his farm, which is the source of a handsome income being operated by a tenant. Our subject's early educational advantages were exceedingly limited, as he was brought up under a pioneer regime, and the schools of his boyhood days were of an inferior class. But being of a studious nature, he has by a course of extended and judicious reading, coupled with excellent powers of observation, become well informed on all general subjects, and is well posted on the current topics of the time. Politically, Mr. Claypool is an ardent Republican and uses his influence to promote the interests of that party. He enjoys a high reputation and standing in the community as a thoroughly honest, trustworthy man and has the full confidence and esteem of all who know him.