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    Doubtless at other reunions the early history of the family, in connection with other branches of the family has been given, but in order to keep the relation of one branch to the other we will begin with the earliest available record.

    Sylvester Deputy the first Deputy of whom we have any account, was born in Wales near the middle of the 18th century. He with a company from that country, migrated to America near the beginning of the 19th century. He married Esther Hudson also of Welsh stock. He set a precedent which was followed by a number of his descendants who married into the Hudson family.

    Sylvester and Esther Deputy had six children: Henry, Solomon, Joshua, William, Elizabeth and Nancy. From the fact that Sylvester would have been almost fifty years old when coming to this country and further that my grandfather who was Henry's oldest son was born in 1802, I conclude that most if not all of Sylvester's children were born in Wales.

    They first settled in Delaware where Sylvester died, he seemed to have been a man of some means, as he acquired negro slaves after coming to Delaware. Of these he offered to give a number to his oldest son Henry, who was my great grandfather, but be it said to his honor, they were refused for conscienscious reasons. Later the slaves were freed by the entire family.

    The entire Deputy family seem to have been attracted to the new state of Indiana, after having spent some years in the valley of the Little Kanawa River near Parkersburg in what later became West Virginia.

    According to the best information I can get, Joshua [name crossed out with and X and the name James written in] (I do not know who wrote the notes - but I believe this one to be incorrect all the research I have done on this family the first ones to arrive were Joshua and Solomon) settled near and for whom the town of Deputy was named was first to come, near the beginning of the 19th century. He selected farms for himself and brother Solomon in adjacent tracts; but Jacob Trumbo who had come with them from Virginia, insisted on having the land selected for Solomon and Solomon settled on the beautiful valley farm on Coffee Creek in 1810. (In 1810 Indiana was not a state and this land would have been part of the Indiana Territory, in 1811 Jefferson County was formed so between 1810 and 1817 this land would have been considered part of Jefferson County - when Jennings County was formed in 1817 it then became part of this county).

    William went on to Ill. and settled near Mt. Carmel. Little is known of him except there are still respected citizens of that community who are his descendants.

    Of the two daughters of Sylvester Sr. little knowledge is left to us except that Nancy who had come for a visit to her brother Joshua near Deputy, died there in her girl-hood.

    Henry, who is recorded as eldest son of Sylvester and Esther seems to have been the last of four brothers to come west. It is to him and his descendants that we shall now direct our attention. He is said to have been a well to do farmer in the little Kanawa valley. He was an illustration of the saying, "I can get along with my enemies, but save me from my friend," for having been security for a friend he lost much of his possessions. In 1837 he decided to come west to regain what he had lost. He persuaded his eldest son Andrew [handwritten note here says my great grandfather] who owned adjoining land to sell, together pool the receipts and follow their kinsmen to Indiana. In 1838 with their families and earthly goods they embarked on a flat boat at Parkersburg, and for several weeks floated down the Ohio finally tying up at Madison, Indiana. Here Henry went into the hotel business. Being a farmer, his hotel business went on the rocks. The price of Andrew's farm sunk with it and was never again floated. [handwritten note here says "Of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these, What might have been."]

    Andrew had brought his family to Coffe Creek and built a little home on a hill to which they gave the name of Greenland, on the east side of Coffee Creek.

    Beside Andrew, who was my grandfather, Henry had two children by a first wife, Henry and Nancy. The first wife whose name is not known died in Virginia. The second wife whose name was Nancy Hays was the mother of Eliza, Sarah, Rachel, George, Joshua and John.

    From Madison Henry located on a farm in Jackson County on Grassy Creek not far from Crothersville. His second wife died there 1859 and Henry in 1863, at 80 years of age. They are probably buried in the cemetery at Uniontown.

    Before giving special attention my grandfather's immediate family, I shall mention the other children of Henry's as they would be brothers and sisters to my grandfather.

    Nancy was said to be a girl of unusual beauty but died in youth. Sarah became Mrs. Turner and was the mother of Sarah who was Allen Lett's first wife. Mrs. Turner died soon after the daughter Sarah was born. She was raised by her grandfather's family. Eliza died early. Henry settled in Cincinnati and while little has been heard of him or his family, the last account of them that among his descendants were people of good standing and influence. Of George, little was known after he was grown. Rachel became the second wife of Aquilla Robertson whom we knew as Uncle Quill. They lived in a comfortable farm home near Deputy. They both lived to a ripe and old age. Rachel left no children except the six who came to her in marrying Mr. Robertson, whose first wife was Rachel's cousin, Hetty or Esther Deputy. To those of us who remember her, Aunt Rachel always seemed a model of womanly beauty, dignity and grace, always kind and gracious.

    Joshua was known the later years of his life as Massa Josh, which name ne may have acquired during his residence in Missouri. Coming with the family from Virginia, he later went west and settled in Missouri, which at that time was agitates over the slavery question. Everyone was supposed to be for or against. There was no neutral ground and one found himself a little more secure to be for. Massa Josh tried to be neutral. Near the out break of the Civil War when Confederate partisan visited him to ascertain his politics he hedged by saying. "I am an old line Whig." But Missourians were taking no chances on "Old line Whigs and "Massa Josh" beat a hasty retreat to Indiana, leaving all his possessions, counting himself lucky to escape with his life. He lived a few years at the family home near Crothersville; was never married and was buried at Uniontown.

    John was the youngest and will be remembered by a number of the family of my generation. He and his brother George had some of the marks of the typical southern gentleman.

    Perhaps the most outstanding of John's personal traits was an invincible, incorrigible and incurable habit of smiling or laughing at everything and everybody. Some was accused him of waking his family up in the middle of the night to shake hands with them. Because of this peculiar habit he was known as Laughing John, Friendly John or Grassy John. The latter was with reference to where he lived.

    He married after the Civil War a Miss McCaslin, to whom one child was born - a daughter whom they named Brook and who later became Mrs. McCann. The mother having died in Brook's infancy she was cared for by her Aunt Rachel Robertson until her father's remarriage-this time to a Miss Kinneas. The second wife preceded John in death by several years. After his first marriage he located on a farm near Mt. Pisgah Church in Jefferson County.

    I shall devote the rest of this sketch to Andrew who was the eldest son of Henry and his wife and to his family.

    Andrew was married in Virginia to Elizabeth Cain who at the time of their Marriage was sixteen years of age.

    When they came to Indiana in 1838 they brought their five oldest children who in order birth were Eliza, Mary, Henry, Sylvester and Nancy. Nancy who was my mother was one year old when they came to Indiana. The journey on the flat boat required several weeks the exact number of which I do not recall. Slow as that may seem to us, it was an improvement over the one wheeled cart drawn by one horse which took some of the earlier members of the family from Delaware to Virginia.

    After Andrew's family was settled in the home here-tofore mentioned as "Greenland" four more children were born. In order of their ages they were Joshua and Solomon who were twins, Sara Jane who died at three years of age, and James W. L. who was the fair-haired baby boy when the mother passed away in 1848 at the age of 37.

    Henry the eldest son who was considered an exemplary young man died in his 21st year. At the time of his death he was engaged to marry Victoria Hudson youngest daughter of William and Betsy Hudson.

    Solomon twin brother of Joshua died in 1857 from effect of sunstroke which he suffered some years previous and from which he never recovered.

    Eliza eldest child and daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth married Griffin Mosley and after a life of almost insufferable hardship which she uncomplainingly endured she passed away in 1870 in her 42nd year. She left the following children; George, John, Rosella, Lizzie, Sarah Jane, Frances and James. Lizzie died soon after her mother. George married Mary Keith. Both are long since dead. After his mother's death John made his home with the families of Elias Deputy and his son George by both of whom he was treated with greatest kindness and consideration. He died at the home of Elias Deputy in early manhood in the year 1876 and was buried in the adjoining cemetery.

    Rosella and Sarah Jane married brothers Phillip and Sherman Sparks. Frances married a man named Johnson and went to Montana. Sometime afterward she accompanied the husband to inspect a coal mine in which he had previously places some dynamite. While he was examining the mine the explosion unexpectedly occurred and he was buried beneath tons of coal. She witnessed the tragedy alone and the nearest neighbor was five miles away. Three of this family are still living and all have been useful industrious citizens. Those living are Rosella, Sarah Jane and James.

    Mary, second daughter of Andrew married James Davis and soon after went to Illinois and lived for twenty five years near Vandalia. After the death of her husband she came back to spend her remaining days among her people in Indiana. She had one daughter, Laura, now deceased.

    William Yates, grandson of Mary lives on a farm near Vernon. He married Christine Euler and is a respected citizen.

    Sylvester, second son of Andrew and Elizabeth followed the example of the earlier Sylvester and married a Hudson, his wife being Sarah the daughter of Boyd and Frances Hudson. Their children were Velmore, Alban S., Emerson, Frank and Ernest M. [handwritten the Dr.]

    [Handwritten - He was so very immaculate. He wore his white. Some one remarked before his marriage, I bet he won't wear it when his married She overheard it. It fired her and she showed them. Grandmother had a strong will power. So grandfather always got to wear his "biled" shirt]

    Frank died in early childhood. Velmore died of typhoid fever at the age of twenty one bringing to an untimely end what gave promise of a useful life. [Handwritten - He was a teacher and the most beautiful scribe I have ever seen.]

    Alban married Lillie Wilson and to them were born five children. They were Gail, wife of Andrew Blake; Cora wife of Eldo Dodd; Ethel and Walter who remain with the mother, and a son who died in infancy. [Handwritten - Edgar our baby brother died the same yours did - Mother found him]. Typhoid cut short Alban's life and took from this young family a devoted husband and father and from the community a useful citizen and one who gave it his best service.

    Emerson married Ella Phillipps. Both were popular young people. Their children were Harry, Ralph, Charley, Howard, Helen and Dorothy. Emerson moved to Indianapolis some years ago and both he and his wife are buried in Crown Hill. At last account the children were living honorable useful lives.

    Ernest M. married Fleta Staples and lives at Dugger, Indiana where he is a successful physician. They have a son and a daughter Sherrill and Mary Corinne.

    Nancy V. third daughter of Andrew married William E. McGuire. Until his death in 1874 most of their married life was spent in this community.

    The husband was a popular teacher in the schools of Marion township. They were the parents of five children as follows, Ulysses, William, Horace, Flora and Elmer. The father died while practically a young man and left the mother in ill health with meager financial resources but rich in faith and indomitable courage to rear her children. She passed away in 1912 at 75 years of age and was the last of her father's family. The third son Horace died at Tampa, Florida in 1915. His body was sent back to Vernon to rest beside his idolized daughter Mildred who died in 1908 at the age of sixteen. The wife and mother still lives in Tampa, Florida.

    William the second son of Nancy died in 1922 and is buried at North Vernon beside his mother. He left one son Curtis who lives in Indianapolis.

    Ulysses, Flora and Elmer are still living among you and are doing their best to live up to their mother's standards of life. [Handwritten - Horace was editor of the county paper called the Republican, its slogan was "You Can't Beat Old Jennings in any Kind of Useful Endeavor". Ulysses was editor of the Baptist Observer.]

    Ulysses has been an effective minister of the Baptist Church. He married Elba Graham. They were the parents of seven children as follows: Ella, Agnes, Arthur, Clive, Vane, Paul and Fern. Notwithstanding the fact that they belong to the ancient honorable and maligned order of P.K's. (Preacher's Kids), they are all making good. The mother died in 1914 and is buried at Sullivan. He now lives at South Bend with his youngest daughter Mrs. John A. Barnett.

    Flora M. only daughter of the McGuire family taught school for twenty two years, twelve of which were in North Vernon. She was twice married. By the first marriage she was the mother of three daughters. The first died in infancy. The second Nancy V. is now the wife of E. A. Ransdell of Connersville. They have one son, Horace. Mary the second daughter married Roy Campbell. She passed away at Dundee, Illinois in 1931. She left a son Eldon, and a small daughter Rosemary. Mary is buried at Columbus. Flora is now the widow of Rev. Lewis King, her second husband and lives in Columbus.

    Elmer, youngest son of William and Nancy McGuire married Rosa Byfield who passed away early in 1937. A son Alfred died in infancy. Hazel, wife of Lavern Wainscott lives on a farm east of Commiskey, Indiana. An adopted son, Walter, lives in Philadelphia. Elmer's main purpose in life seems to be to keep at peace with his fellows and to keep everybody in good humor. To support himself while doing this he is a tiller of the soil.

    Joshua, twin brother of Solomon who were sixth in Andrew's family, served four years in the Civil War. He later married Eliza Davis whose mother was a Hudson. They had two daughters, Florence and Nellie. Nellie married William Runyan. Hubert Runyan is the only survivor of this family to whom he does due honor.

    James. W. youngest child of Andrew and Elizabeth made his home with the father until the latter's death, then for a time with his sister Nancy's family. At the close of the Civil War he joined a party who were immigrating to Minnesota which at that time was attracting many settlers. He married Josephine Wood daughter of Dr. Wood of St. James. After living on a farm for a number of years he spent the rest of his life in Madelia, where he was a useful and honored citizen. Most of his later years were given to service in public office. He never returned to Indiana. He had one son Charles D. who had three children Hazel, Lowell and a small girl whos name is not known. Hazel died in early womanhood. When last heard from Lowell lived at St. James.

    Some time after the death of his first wife Andrew, married a widow Reed, mother of James Reed. To them was born one son Allen. He went to Riley County, Kansas, where he was a respected citizen. He died more than fifty years ago and left one daughter.

    Amdrew, his first wife and four children, Sarah Jane, Henry, Solomon and Eliza Mosley are buried in the old family burying ground on the hill west of Coffee Creek. On the opposite hill to the east in the Christian Church yard rest Sylvester and Joshua with their families and Mary Davis. Nancy lies at North Vernon by the side of her son William. James W. with his wife and son are buried at Madelia, Minn.

    I wish I had the time to pay the personal tribute to each member of this family which my close association with most of them has convinced me is their due.

    It was said of Dr. Lyman Beecher that he was the father of more brains than any other man in America. We do not make any such claim for Henry or Andrew Deputy. But we do feel justified in claiming for them a fair share of the rather uncommon quality of common sense. The ability to sense a situation and adjust themselves to circumstances good or bad. Some of the family have shown marked ability in intellectual lines.

    We do not claim for any of them absolute perfection and do not deny that may have been dark streaks found among the sheep. The best is not perfect; the worst not wholly bad. We are just folks, according to the standard set for us by the prophet "to love mercy, do justly and walk humbly." This humble family has made a high score.     As a family they had strong religious conviction, a deep sense of honor,[handwritten - and a keen sense of humor,] that has saved the day in many trying situations.

    I have heard it said that in earlier years to meet a Deputy was to meet a rich man. This was said without taking Henry and his line into account after his loss in Virginia. Yet they have not known real poverty, which is of the soul.     We do not boast of our royal lineage but if it be true that "there is nothing so kingly as kindness and nothing so royal as truth", we may truly claim a noble ancestry.

    That we may leave to those who follow us the high ideals that we received from our forebearers is the sincere wish of the writer.

    I am indebted for the facts given here first to my mother. Then to Mrs. Morencie Robertson Wells daughter of Uncle Aquilla Robertson, to my brother W. M. McGuire, to Tibbetts history of Coffee Creek Association and to my acquaintance with the family.

    Written for the Deputy reunion held at Mt. Zion M. E. Church, August 29, 1937.

                     Flora M. King

Typed by Dorothy Johnson Mundt

(After going over all the handwritten notes on this document I am fairly certain they were written by Ethel Deputy daughter of Alban S. & Lillie (Wilson) Deputy - especially due to the comment that Andrew was her great grandfather)

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