Corn - George W. - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Among those who came to Montgomery County, Indiana, when the country was in its primitive wildness, infested by wild animals, numerous and ferocious, and when the scarecely less wild, but more savage red men, had not long been gone to other hunting grounds, was the CORN family, the progenitors of the gentleman whose name forms the introduction of this sketch, having invaded the wilderness here 86 years ago, and from that remote day to the present time the name has been a familiar sound over this locality. They performed well their parts in the work of developing the country from the primeval woods to one of the foremost agricultural sections in the great Hoosier state, and the elder Corns, together with the other early actors in the great drama which witnessed the passing of the old and the introduction of the new conditions in which are now the fine farms and thriving towns of this County are deserving of every consideration.

We of today cannot pay such sterling characters too great a meed of praise, in view of the sacrifices they made in order that their descendants and others of a later day should enjoy the blessings of life, only a few of which they were permitted to have. George W. CORN was born on the farm where he now lives in Sect 5 Clark Twp, Montgomery County, Feb 20, 1841 and here he has been content to spend his life. He is a son of Williams and Sarah (ALLEN) Corn. Williams Corn was born in Henry County, Kentucky  Feb 16, 1800 and was a son of George & Rhoda Corn. Sarah B. Allen was born in Shelby County, Kentucky Aug 16, 1799 and in that state she and Mr. Corn grew to maturity, received a meager educational training and were married. They moved to Montgomery County, Indiana in 1827, at which time they had three children, namely: Rhoda Jane, b. 2-28- 1824; Albert b. 11-9-1825 and Elizabeth E. b. 10-2-1827, the latter an infant two or three months old. They bought a farm in sect 6, Scott Twp, SE of what is now the village of New Market in 1827. They found a country little improved.

The wolves surrounded the house at night and with their unearthly howling struck terror to the hearts of the timid inmates. Indians, now friendsy to the whites, often went up and down Cornstalk Creek which touches the land on which this family settled. In about two years Williams Corn sold his first place and moved to the present Corn homestead, occupied by our subject.

They bought the 80 acres on which the house stands west of the present road, and entered from the government an adjoining 80 directly east of it, the two 80 acre parcels comprising the NW 1/4 of Section 5. Only 5 or 6 acres of this second farm had been cleared, and it was enclosed with a brush fence, and there had been built a log cabin near a Spring.

Here Mr. Corn quickly built of hewn logs a larger and more comfortable dwelling and in 1843 he built another and still better house, and in this he and his wife spent the rest of their lives. They worked hard and clared and developed the place and became very well fixed as farmers of that early day. To Williams Corn and wife were b. 9 ch. after they located in this County, making their family a larger one, 12 in all, with the three elder who first opened their eyes to the sky in the BLue Grass state.

The ones born here were: Nancy A b. Oct 26, 1829; Mary Ann b. May 14, 1831; Margare D b. May 1, 1833; Sarah Eliza b. Aprl 16 1835; John W. b. Aug 12, 1837; William b. July 23, 1838; Stephen A, b. Aug 15, 1839; Martha E, b. Aug 23, 1842 and our subject, George W. The death of Williams Corn occurred on Nov 11, 1859, having been 59 years old the previous Feb. He was a hard working, honest man, who preferred to remain at home, never seeking office, although loyal in his support of the Whig party.

He was assited in his hard work of clearning and developing the farm by his older sons and daughters. THe good wife also worked hard, spun and wove until late into the night to make clothes for her children, even George W., the next to the youngest child, remembers well the linen clothes. But they were a contented family and lived as comfortably as others in those days hardships.

The mother was called to her rest May 4, 1874. She was a member of the Baptist Church. The paternal grandfather, George Corn, was a native of Germany, frm which country he emigrated to the U.S. when young and settled in thewilds of Ky, from which state he enlisted for service in the War of 1812, in which he fought as a private.

Of the 12 children of Williams Corn and wife, George W, our subject is the only one living at this writing. He grew up on the home farm on which he has spent his life. During his more than 70 years' residence here he has noted and taken part in great changes, the country round about presenting an altogether different aspect from what it did in his early boyhood. He did not have an opportunity to receive more than a few years' training in the common schools of his district.

His mother made her home with him, during her widowhood years. Ther were 6 other heirs of the homestead and from time to time he bought their interests until he now owns the entire home farm, which contains 190 acres which he has kept well improved and carefully tilled so that it has lost none of its oldtime fertility and productiveness.

In 1880 he built the present substantial home in which he now resides. General farming and stock raising are carried on. Mr. corn was married on Dec 24, 1863 to Hulda Jane WILLIAMS daughter of Bryan and Elizabeth (CASTLE) Williams. She was born and reared in Union Twp this County east of Whitesville. Her paternal grandfather, Stepehn Williams, came from NC and was a pioneer settler in the east part of this County, in an early day and here established the permanent home of the family. Mr. & Mrs. Corn had two children, a son who d. in infancy and a daughter, Valletta Lillian who is now the wife of William M. FRANTZ a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. Mr. & Mrs. Frantz live on the farm with Mr. Corn. The death of Mrs. Corn occurred Sept 9, 1905. She was a woman of kindly impulse, charitablly inclined, unselfish and had many true friends. Mr. Corn is a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge, no. 54 at Ladoga. He has never striven to be a politician, however, he was nominated by the Democrats in 1894 for County commissioner and though defeated with his ticket made an excellent race.

Source: H. W. Beckwith History of Montgomery County, Indiana (Chicago: HH Hill, 1881) p 470

George W. CORN, farmer, Ladoga, son of Williams and Sarah B. (ALLEN ) Corn, was born on the farm he now owns, in Clark Twp, Feb 20, 1841. He was raised among the hardships of pioneer life, and received such an education as an industrious boy might have obtained in the early schools of this portion of the County. Dec. 24, 1863, he was marr. to Miss Hulda J, daughter of Byrant WILLIAMS. She was b. in Union Twp July 3, 1840. They have become the parents of one child, Valletta L. Mr. C. is now actively engaged in stock raising as well as farming. He has recently completed a fine residence upon his farm, and his general surroundings indicate thrift and enterprise. His parents were among the earliest settlers of this County, having reached here in 1830 from Ky. They are both dead and with them passed away two historical characters.