2nd Row: Left to RIght, Jennie Houchin, Josie King, Meta Reeder, Nettie McCullough.

    A family reunion at the Brazelton residence, this city, yesterday, was a remarkable as well an an enjoyable affair, in as much as all of the children ever born to Rev. John Brazelton, seven in number, all girls, were present to participate in the event. They were, in the order of birth, as follows: Mrs. Metta Reeder, North Vernon; Mrs. T. J. Houchen, Tower Hill, Ill.; Mrs. J. N. King, North Vernon; Mrs. C. B. Curtis, Queensville; Mrs. L. C. Jones, Hanover; Mrs. E. H. Tripp, Indianapolis; Mrs. Robert McCullough, Columbus. This was the first time in nineteen years the sisters had been together. Mr. Brazelton is also grandfather of sixteen children, and great-grandfather of four. During this reunion the Banner Plain Dealer was favored with some excellent music over the telephone wires by these sisters, all of whom have excellent voices and several of whom are skilled musicians. This dates the above picture as being taken in 1899.

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    Rev. John Brazelton, the aged Christian minister of this city, reached his eighty-second mile stone last Thursday. A surprise dinner was given him at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Lin Jones, and five of his daughters, and he and his estimable wife spent a happy hour around the festal board. The children present were Mrs. E. H. Tripp, Indianapolis, Mrs. Robt. McCullough, Columbus; Mrs. J.N. King and Mrs. Lin Jones, this city. Two were absent, Mrs. Honcher, of Tower Hill, Ill., and Mrs. Metta Reeder, of this city who was confined to her bed by illness.

    Rev. Brazelton was born in Kentucky, May 26, 1822, but moved with his parents to Jefferson county, Ind., when but a mere lad. Indiana was far different at that time to what it is now. The people were ignorant, distilleries were found at every spring and whiskey flowed as freely as water. Notwithstanding his surroundings he was religiously disposed and when but a mere child joined the M.E. Church during a camp meeting. Then he began to struggle to "get religion" or "be converted", which was the prescribed method preached at that day. He struggled for years and nothing came of it and he drifted into a state of infidelity reasoning that if getting religion is false, therefore the Bible is false.

    He was thrown upon the world homeless and penniless at the early age of thirteen. He was not daunted however but worked out and went to school every day possible. This he persisted in until he had sufficient education to enable him to teach. Then he taught and went to school alternately until he obtained a fair education when he began to study law. He completed his studies and was admitted to the bar. Over study caused him to break down physically and he was compelled to abandon all thought of following his chosen profession.

    During all these years he was still an unbeliever, but in 1851 he attended a series of meetings held in the Christian church at Kent he and his wife, to whom he had been married nine years, found the true and living way. He saw that he had been trying to believe in isms instead of Jesus Christ. He was baptized in February and began preaching in June 1851 and has followed that calling ever since-all except the past few years, when he enters the pulpit but rarely, but when he does, no trace of age enters into his remarks which are as full of beauty and eloquence as when he was in the full flower of manhood. He has been a hard laborer in the Lord's vineyard and he has accomplished much good during his long, faithful ministry. He moved to this city in November 1872. He has not only preached the gospel in Indiana but in Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois and Nebraska. He labored though for the most part in Southeastern Indiana often preaching monthly at one church for a period of thirty years. He was not a fanatic but was for the betterment of man.

    In 1875 he was married for a second time a wife who has proven a loyal, loving helpmate and who is loved by all who know her. The Plain Dealer extends congratulations to Brother Brazelton and wishes for him many more peaceful, happy years.

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    Sunday noon, April 21st, Rev. John Brazelton died at his home in this city after a protracted illness resulting from injuries received from a fall during one of the winter slippery spells. For the past few years he had been in poor health, and was quite feeble until his death at which time he was 86 years old. Funeral services were conducted at the Christian church Tuesday by Rev. Barnett, pastor of the local church. The remains were interred in the Vernon cemetery.
    Rev. John Brazelton was born in Kentucky, May 26, 1822, coming to Indiana with his parents a little later, settling in Jefferson county, four miles southwest of Kent, and six miles north of Lexington. Being religiously inclined from childhood, he followed in the footsteps of his parents, and united with the Methodist church, but ten years old, this being the prevailing religion of the neighborhood when they settled in Indiana.
    At the age of thirteen years, his parents having died, he was left penniless and friendless to make his way through the world. He went to school, working morning, noon and night for a farmer for his board. In this way he managed to get a fair education for that day and age. At the age he began teaching, where North Madison now stands. He continued going to school and teaching alternately till eighteen years of age, when he began studying law with Joseph G. Marshall and Jas. D. Glass in Madison, continuing it for four years, almost day and night taking a thorough course and was then admitted to the bar. Teaching however was his delight and he returned to it, instead of practicing, law, and taught at Kent and vicinity for a number of years.
    In February, 1851, he joined the Christian church and at once began preaching. The subject of his first sermon was "Faith as a Motive Power." About this time a district co-operative organization was formed of Ohio, Switzerland, Jefferson, Ripley, Jennings and Bartholomew counties, the management being lodged in a official board made up of one member from each congregation in the district to solicit means to support the work. Elder Philoman Vawter and Mr. Brazelton were employed as evangelists for the district at a salary of $600 per year each. The first year they baptized between 300 and 400.
    In the spring of 1863, he was called to preach for the Christian church in Columbus and accepted. He was seized with a severe case of typhoid fever, in February, 1864 and lay unconscious for forty days. After coming to Columbus he sold his farm at Kent and bought another at Queensville. Just as he recovered from his case of typhoid fever his eldest daughter was stricken with the same disease. This was in April and before she got too bad she was carried to the train and the family moved to their new farm near Queensville, and for eight years Mr. Brazelton spent his time preaching and farming.
    His first wife died October 5, 1871. In November, 1875, he moved his family to North Vernon and has lived there ever since and has devoted his time preaching, not only in Indiana, but in Ohio and Kentucky. His Indiana work was much in Delaware, Madison, Rush and Shelby counties, but the principal field of his life labor in the Lords vineyard was in southeastern Indiana.
    During the first twenty years of his ministerial service he kept no account of his conversions or baptisms, but estimates it at 2,000. February 17, 1875, he was married again to Mrs. Nan Frost. He was from early manhood a reformer in politics, medicine and religion, embracing any proposition or movement that he thought would better the conditions of mankind.
    He was a presidential elector on the Free Soil or Abolition ticket in 1847, and stumped northern Indiana.
    In 1855 he was representative in the state legislature from Jefferson county and was present at the birth of the republican party. In 1833 he represented Jennings county in the State legislature.

His children by his first wife were in age rotation:
Mrs. Metta Reeder, now living in Long Beach, California.
Mrs. Jennie Houghton, Edinburg, Illinois
Mrs. Josie King, this city
Mrs. Flora Curtis, Queensville
Mrs. Lin C. Jones, this city
Mrs. Ernest Tripp, Indianapolis
Mrs. Robert McCollough

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John Brazelton first married America Hyter in Jefferson County, September of 1842, she died in October of 1871 here in Jennings County.

Page 88
It is Remembered that on this 3d day of September in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and forty two the following Marriage License was issued-towit
The State of Indiana Jefferson County SS.
To any person legally authorized to Solemanize the Rites of matrimony This is therefore to license and permit you to join together in the holy state of Matrimony John Brazelton and America Hyter- and for so doing this shall beyour Sufficient Warrant. In Testimony where of I have hereunto Set my hand and the Seal of the County aforesaid at Madison This 3d Day of September 1842
                Jno H. Taylor clk

And afterwards Towit on the 15 day of September 1842 the following Certificate of Marriage was returned
Towit -
State of Indiana} This certifies that I
Jefferson County} Peter Jordan
John Brazzleton & America Hyter were joined together in the state of Holy Matrimony on the 7th day of September AD 1842 By me the undersigned Justice of the Peace of said County. Given under my hand and seal this 15th day of September AD 1842                                 Peter Jordan JP{Seal}

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    Metta was the oldest daughter, born in 1843 in Jefferson County, Indiana.
    Metta was married twice her first husband being John Marshall Grinstead 1841 - 1928, they had two children, she then married Wilson Reeder. One of her daughters Zoe Grinstead married a Joseph Covert and moved to California, her second daughter Gail married Frank G. Meloy, she passed away in North Vernon and is buried in Hillcrest Cemetery. Metta is listed in the California Death index as dying there in 1913.

    Jennie first married William D. King here in Jennings County in March of 1866, he died in 1868. In April of 1872 she married John T. Houchen and by 1873 they were living in Illinois. They had at least seven children. She died in 1922.
October 20, 1922 - Decatur Daily Review, Decatur, Macon County, Illinois

MRS. HOUCHEN BURIED
    Funeral services for Mrs. J. T. Houchen were held from the home Tuesday morning. Rev. Mr. Berry had charge of the services and Rev. M. Tanner assisted him.
    Mrs. Houchen died at her home Sunday morning. For the last two years she had been in failing health, and had felt no worse than she usually did, when suddenly she complained of her heart and soon passed away. She is survived by her husband, two daughters and four sons. She was seventy-seven years of age.

    Josie Brazelton married James N. King on September 26, 1867, they were married by Rev. Hickman New a Minister in the Christian Church. According to Census records they lived in Jennings County until James Kings death in 1914. In 1920 she has moved to Morley, Scott County, Missouri to live with one of her daughters "Jennie" (King) Hargrove and her husband, Benjamin Hargrove. The following Missouri Death Certificate shows that she died on April 24, 1924 and that she was to be returned to North Vernon to be buried.
Husband of Josephine Brazelton,
April 23, 1914 - North Vernon Plain Dealer, Pg. 2
    King-James Newton King, aged 72 years, died at his home in Vernon, Saturday morning, April 18th, after a three weeks' illness of lagrippe. Mr. King was born on the King farm, north of North Vernon, and spent his entire life in Jennings County. He was one of the popular and influential men of the county, having at different times served in public offices prominence in North Vernon and in the county. His chosen occupation was that of farmer and dairyman and he engaged in these pursuits for a number of years, when he lived on a farm and conducted a dairy, just west of the city limits of North Vernon. He was at one time marshal of North Vernon and held the position of Postmaster of that city during President Johnson's administration. He was elected treasurer of Jennings County, in the fall of 1912, which position he held at the time of his death. He was a charter member of the Muscatatuck Tribe of Red Men and has held an honored membership in this lodge ever since its organization. When nineteen years old he united with the Christian Church and maintained a membership in this church during his life. Funeral services were held at the residence, at two o'clock, Monday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Edwards, of Butlerville, a Christian minister. The members of the Red Men's Lodge marched in procession with the funeral and conducted services at the grave. The remains were interred in the City Cemetery, at North Vernon. The floral offerings sent by sympathetic friends were numerous and beautiful. The deceased is survived by his wife, two daughters, Mrs. Jennie Hargrove of Success, Ark. And Mrs. Kathryn Bradford of Olney, Ill. And by two little grand-daughters.

    On December 27, 1875 Flora married Charles B. Curtis a member of the prominent Curtis family who were known for their horse racing and breeding program.

November 26, 1931 - Jennings County News
Mrs. Charles Curtis Dies At Home Here
Aged Resident Succumbs After Long Illness
    Mrs. Florence Curtis, 79, wife of Charles Curtis, died at her home here, Wednesday morning after a long illness.
    Mrs. Curtis lived the greater part of her life here and widely known throughout the county. She was a member of the Christian church.
    Surviving are her husband, two adopted children, Mrs. Marie Mosley, of Indianapolis and Vance Curtis, of Frankfort and two sisters Mrs. Anna Tripp and Mrs. Fannie Jones of Indianapolis.
    Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2:30 at the Christian Church.

March 28, 1935 - North Vernon Sun
MR. CHARLES B. CURTIS
    Mr. Charles B. Curtis, aged 91 years, a Civil War Veteran, died Friday afternoon at his apartment home on Walnut street.
    He has been ill for some time but his condition was not considered serious until about a week before his death.
    Mr. Curtis was born in Jennings county and spent his entire life here. He followed the occupation of his father, operating a stock farm and raising and training race horses.
    Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at two o'clock at Dowd's Funeral Parlor conducted by Rev. Davies, of Fort Thomas, Ky., former minister of the local Christian church. Burial took place in Hillcrest cemetery.
    He is survived by one son, Vance Curtis, of Frankfort, and one daughter, Mrs. Marie Anastas, of Indianapolis, and two nephews, Tom Russell, of DeQuincey, Ill., and Curtis Russell, of this city.

    Fannie Brazelton married Roderick G. Scott at her fathers home in September of 1876. By the 1880 census (only 4 years later) Roderick is listed in the census as being sick with Consumption (Tuberculosis). Fannie's daughter Nettie is listed as 2 years old and living in N. Vernon at Tripps. In the notices of Roderick's death it mentions he died at his parents home in Ohio, Fannie was there with him as it states she returned to her parents home after his death.
    During the time frame between Fannie's marriage and Roderick's death her sister Annie had married Ernest H. Tripp, they are supposed to have had a son who died in 1879, and never had any other children. It appears Nettie lived with Fannie & Ernest H. Tripp until she married Frederick W. Verbarg in May of 1896. She is frequently referred to as Nettie Tripp although she was not adopted by Tripps.
    Fannie remarried after the death of Roderick Scott to Linsay C. Jones on February 28, 1884 and they had three children. Her firstborn son Linsay C. Jones Jr. died at his grandparents (Brazeltons) home on January 29, 1889 at the age of about 4 years.
February 9, 1889 - Madison Daily Herald, from the North Vernon Sun
     Their second son was a promising 16 year old student at Hanover College in Jefferson College when he died after falling through the ice, while skating on the Ohio River, just before Christmas in 1903.
North Vernon Banner Plain Dealer - December 25, 1903
Drowned While Skating
    Word was received here last Friday morning that Carlton Jones was drowned in the Ohio river the evening before while skating with some friends. He is a son of Lin C. Jones and wife, both of whom formerly lived here, and a grandson of Rev. Brazelton. The lad was sixteen years old and this was his first year in college at Hanover where his parents reside. The body has not be recovered. The parents, especially the mother, are prostrated. They have the sympathy of everyone in their sad bereavement. Mr. Jones is very well known here, having edited the Sun for several years and was quite active in business and political circles. His wife, who was formerly Mrs. Fannie Scott, also lived here prior to their marriage, and is well known in social and church circles.
Link to Obituary of Lindsay C. Jones on this site.
     Lindsay & Fannie Jones only had one daughter who survived, Jean Jones.
Jean Jones first married in 1908 to Edward Chance.
North Vernon Plain Dealer - September 28, 1911
DEATHS
    CHANCE - Ed Chance. aged twenty-six years, died at the home of his wifes' parents, L.C. Jones and wife, on Jackson street, Friday, September 22nd, after an illness of several months. The deceased and his two brothers were left orphans at an early age and for years made their home with their aunt, Mrs. Mary Terrell, of Greensburg. He came to this city about five years ago to work at the Glass Factory and during his residence here he made a large number of friends. The funeral services were held at the residence Sunday afternoon and were conducted by Rev. S. L. Essick. The remains were interred in the City Cemetery. Besides his wife, he is survived by his twin brother, Fred Chance, of Greensburg, and another brother Will Chance, who is at present employed at New Castle. Those from out of town who attended the funeral were: his brothers Fred and Will Chance; his aunt, Mrs. Mary Terrell; his grandmother Mrs. Jane Barnes; Terbert Terrell, a relative: and John D. Ford, a devoted friend of the deceased; all of whom reside at Greensburg.
    On November 14, 1914, Jean Jones Chance married Frank C. McGrayel, they had two children.

North Vernon Plain Dealer - June 11, 1936
    Mrs. Anna L. Tripp, widow of Ernest H. Tripp, passed away at her apartments at the Claypool Hotel, at Indianapolis. Tuesday, June 9th. The body was brought to the home of her daughter, Mrs. Fred Verbarg, in this city, and funeral services will be held there Thursday afternoon, conducted by the Rev. W. H. Dillard, pastor of the FIrst Baptist Church. The burial will take place in Hillcrest Cemetery.
    Mrs. Tripp was born at Kent, January 19, 1857, the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Brazelton, and came to North Vernon with her parents when a child. Her early life was spent here and she was married to Ernest H. Tripp, in this city, November 30th, 1876. They lived in North Vernon and Indianapolis and after Mr. Tripp's death, sixteen years ago, Mrs. Tripp went to Indianapolis to reside.
    She is survived by her daughter, Mrs. Nettie Verbarg and her husband Fred Verbarg of this city, and their son, Ernest Verbarg, of Indianapolis; also by one sister, Mrs. Fannie Jones, of Indianapolis, a number of nieces and nephews and a host of friends. Mrs. F. G. Meloy, of this city is a niece of the deceased.
    The mention of Nettie Verbarg above shows that she was frequently referred to as the daughter of Ernest & Annie Tripp, I have never found a formal adoption but the older she got the less mention of her being the daughter of Roderick & Fannie Scott. Nettie Verbargs death certificate even lists her parents as the Tripps'.

    On February 22, 1892 Nettie Brazelton married Robert McCullough in Jennings County. Nettie Brazelton McCullough
July 28, 1911 - North Vernon Sun
Mrs. McCullough Dead
    Mrs. Nettie Brazelton McCullough, wife of Robert McCullough, a prominent Bartholomew county farmer, died at the family home east of Columbus last Friday night. The deceased was well known in this city where she resided years ago. She was a sister of Mrs. L. C. Jones, Mrs. E. E. Tripp, Mrs. J. N. King and Mrs. Charles Curtis.
    The funeral was held Monday afternoon from the residence conducted by Rev. W. H. Book of the Tabernacle Christian church of Columbus. The interment was in Garland Brook cemetery and the funeral procession was one of the longest the county has witnessed in years. The pall bearers were the deceased's eight nephews, Harry Dickey, Richard Dickey, Fred Verbarg, Aurthur McCullough, Charles McCullough, Clarence McCullough, Charles Morrison and William McCullough.
    The Columbus Republican of Saturday contained the following account of the good woman's illness and death.
    After an illness of about two months Mrs. Nettie Brazelton McCullough wife of Robert McCullough, died at her home east of this city shortly before Friday midnight. For several weeks she hovered between life and death and a few days ago a surgical operation was performed in the hope of prolonging life. Her weakened heart prevented her from taking an anesthetic and for that reason the operation was a much greater shock than it would ordinarily have been. She was benefitted by the operation but the disease had too great a hold to be thwarted than and during the present week it was seen that death was only a short distance away. Friday it was known the end was near and sorrowing friends waited silently, hoping against hope that a turn for the better might be announced. Their hope availed not, however, and death came in the night.
    Mrs. Mc Clullough, who was 51 years of age, was the youngest of seven daughters of the Rev. and Mrs. John Brazelton, she having been born at North Vernon, Jennings county. Her father was a pioneer minister of the Christian church in Jennings, Bartholomew and neighboring counties and was a widely known man. Both he and his wife are now dead but the death of Mrs. McCullough is the first among the children. Her six surviving sisters are Mrs. Meta Reeder, of Long Beach Cal., Mrs. Jennie Houchen, who lives in Illinois; Mrs. Josie King, Mrs. Flora Curtis, Mrs. Fannie Jones and Mrs. Anna Tripp of North Vernon.
    Mrs. McCullough married Mr. McCullough at North Vernon about twenty years ago and they went directly to the McCullough farm east of this city where all her married life was spent. One son, John was born to the union and he is about 18 years of age.
    In many ways Mrs. McCullough was a remarkable woman because she maintained the true balance of life. Her activities were centered in her home, her church and her club although her work as a club woman was not confined strictly to the organization of which she was an honored member.
    People have compared her with the famous "country contributor" whose letters to the Indianapolis News and the Ladies Home Journal have helped so many women over the hard places in life. She knew and realized the part a woman must bear in life and she met such needs and requirements with philosophy and sunshine. This made her an invaluable friend and counselor and as such she will be remembered in the years to come.
    Mrs. McCullough was a member of the Tabernacle Christian church. She was not a member who put on the church as a Sunday garment for she lived her religion from week end to week end. Her early training in religious matters had given her a deep reverence for everything the hold book contained and these precepts were her daily companions, helping her over the hard places and helping her to help others.
    As a member of the Monday Literary club Mrs. McCullough was surrounded by women who loved her as well as if she had been kith and kin instead of merely friend and co-worker in a field of literary endeavor. She held several offices in this organization and recently served as the club's president. Her witty papers, her droll poems and her discussions of problems of home and nation always rang true at the meetings of her club and the members always knew there was a treat in store for them when she was on the program.
    Mrs. McCullough was always proud that she was the wife of a farmer and she took a keen interest in farm life. She was actively engaged in the farmers' institute work, the work of the women at the county fair and in any effort that tended to better the condition of farmers and their homes.

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FIND FARMER DEAD IN BED

    Robert M'Cullough, 78, for many years a leading farmer of Bartholomew county died suddenly this morning at about 5 o'clock at his home east of the city, death resulting from an attack of heart trouble. Mr. McCullough had been in declining health for some time but his condition was never serious and yestereday he was in Columbus on business. He returned home and completed his farm chores as usual and retired in seemingly good spitits. This morning about 4 o'clock members of the family heard him astir in his room and thought he was getting up to make the fires, as was his daily habit. A little later his son called to him, but failed to get a response. He went into the father's room and found the parent dead in his bed.
A Progressive Farmer     Mr. McCullough was born in Hamilton, Ohio, but came here when but a boy and had lived on his farm the greater part of his life. He was regarded as one of the most progressive farmers in the county. He was regarded as one of the most progressive farmers in the county. He was ever interested in the promotion of interests of the farmers in general. He was a member of the Tabernacle Christian church of this city, he was a liberal supporter of the church and was faithful in his attendance. Throughout his life he was a staunch republican and was active in the county work of the party.
One Son Survives
    Mr. Mccullough was married twice. His first wife being Miss Bertha Winkler, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Winkler who passed away many years ago. Several years after her death he was united in marriage to Miss Nettie Brazelton, daughter of the late Rev. and Mrs. John Brazelton who passed away in 1911 (1907). Surviving is one son John McCullough, who lives at the farm home. There is also one sister. Mrs. Elizabeth Dickey, and a brother, Henry McCullough, both of this county.
    Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at 2:00 at the residence with the Rev. W. D. Book and the Rev. Z. T. Sweeney officiating. Burial in Garland Brook cemetery.

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