TROUT-Hannibal - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Hannibal TROUT whose sketch is here given has a beautiful home and finely appointed farm on Section 5, Walnut Township and is one of the wealthy farmers and stock raisers and representative men of this part of Montgomery County. He was born in Trimble County, KY May 17, 1824 and is a son of Isaac Trout, who was born in Shenandoah County, VA in 1794. He in turn was a son of Daniel Trout, who was reared in Virginia and was of German parentage. Isaac Trout passed his early years amid the scenes of his birth in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, whence he subsequently removed with his father to Kentucky and settled in Trimble County, where he was married to Dolly, daughter of Alexander COOK. The Cooks had moved from Maryland to Virginia and thence to Kentucky in pioneer days. After marriage Mr. Trout continued to live in Trimble County, settling on land that his father had given him, until 1844, when he came to Indiana and bought and located upon the quarter section of land upon which our subject now lives in Walnut Township, paying $10 an acre for the land, of which about 40 acres had been cleared. His life was not prolonged many years after he settled in his new home, as he died in 1850 ere old age had come upon him, and left behind him a most worthy record as a man and a citizen. He was a stanch Whig in politics. His wife survived him until 1876, when she too passed away. They reared a family of 5 children: Hannibal; Emely, who married Peter Van NICE, and died in Missouri; Angeline, who married Marshall CRAIG and died in Iowa; Alexander who died at Leavenworth, KS in 1856 and Eliza, who married J.F. LUKINS who is superintendent of public schools in Lebanon, Ohio. He of whom we write was 20 years of age when he came tot his county with his father, with whom he made his home until the latter's death. After his marriage he took up his residence near Darlington on Light Creek, where he lived from march to September, 1853, when he bought out the interest of the other heirs in the old homestead and returned to it. He has met with marked success in his farming operations, and is one of the substantial moneyed men of the county. He formerly had over 600 acres of land, but he gave 80 acres to his son, David and 72 acres to Sherman. He still has a large farm, and has besides his homestead a tract of 80 acres of land in Walnut Township, and two pieces of land in Franklin Township of 55 and 53 acres respectively. The building are of a good class, commodious and well arranged and in 1869 Mr. Trout erected at a cost of $10000 one of the largest and handsomest residences in the township. It has a slate roof, 10 large rooms, besides pantry, halls, bathroom and all the modern conveniences of a well-appointed house, including a fine cellar, 54 x 18 feet in dimensions. The farm is one of the best improved in the county, is well drained with tile and a great deal of graveling has been done on the place. We may mention in this connection that Mr. Trout was one of the principal advocates of gravel roads through this part of the township. There is probably no farmer in the county better acquainted with the principles of practical farming than our subject. Besides being one of the most successful and enterprising of farmers, he has acquired an enviable reputation as a stock raiser. He has a fine class of stock, including Shropshire sheep and Poland China hogs, a number of the latter being registered. The marriage of our subject with Miss Mary G. LONG was consummated Feb 9, 1853. She is a daughter of David Long, who came here from Butler County, Ohio and settled 3 miles north of Crawfordsville. He was the father of 12 children and Mrs. Trout was the youngest of those born of his first wife. Mr. and Mrs. Trout have four children: David L. who married Miss Carrie GRAY, and is engaged in business as a stock dealer and shipper at Crawfordsville: Eva, wife of Frank S. FOSTER, a prominent attorney and real-estate dealer at Indianapolis, who held the office of Deputy Clerk in the US Court for a number of years; Sherman A, who was a student at Wabash College 3 years and is now at home: and Roy, a student at Wabash. The oldest son was also an attendant at Wabash College and Eva was graduated from the Western Female College at Oxford, Ohio. Mr. Trout is genial, frank and courteous in manner, is honorable and straightforward in his relations with others: and is truly public spirited and progressive as a citizen. He is a Republican and a firm believe in the policy of his party. He has never sought office, but was elected in 1885 a member of the Legislature and served 3 terms; has also been Assessor of Walnut Township one term. He has been identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has a demit from his old lodge.

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Hannibal Trout, farmer and stock raiser, Crawfordsville, is a native of Tenbrook county, Kentucky, having been born there in 1824, his parents being Isaac and Dorothy (Cook) Trout, natives of Virginia, who came with him to this neighborhood in 1844. Both died here, the former in 1850, the latter in 1876. He married on February 9, 1853, Miss Mary Long, daughter of David Long, one of the first settlers in Crawfordsville, and has a family of four children, three boys, David, Sherman, and Roy, and one daughter, Eva, a talented and accomplished young lady. His farm of 385 acres has all been improved since it came into his possession, and is now, without exception, the best improved farm in the township. The house, a massive brick structure, is 50 x 74 feet, two stories in height, and was erected at a cost of over $11,000, while the grounds are beautifully laid out and greatly enhance the appearance of the premises. The other farm buildings are in keeping with the surroundings. Two large barns afford protection to the stock and storage for hay. Mr. Trout has over $3,000 invested in tile draining, and finds that it has been a good investment, enabling him to raise crops in all seasons. He is a member of the I.O.O.F., and in politics is republican.