Mack - James T.
James T. Mack
James T. Mack, merchant, Crawfordsville, is a son of John and Catharine (Wilhite) Mack. John Mack was a native of Virginia, and accompanied his parents to Kentucky. The Wilhites were also Virginians, and early settlers of Kentucky. In the latter state Catharine was born, and came with her people in an early day to Montgomery county, Indiana. Mr. Mack also made a trip to Indiana to inspect the land, and while here occurred his marriage. At the time of his arrival Crawfordsville consisted of two log cabins. Some time after coming he bought the "hotel," a double log house which stood on the spot now occupied by the large store-rooms east of the courthouse. There he kept tavern. He sold this and bought a private dwelling-house which stood on the present site of the St. James hotel. He there kept hotel until he moved on a farm one mile south of Crawfordsville. Mr. Mack was also a skillful cabinet-maker. He hauled his grain to Terre Haute, fifty-six miles, to market and helped chop the forest from the spot on which Crawfordsville flourishes to-day.
In politics he was whig, and in religion he was a constant Christian and member of the Center Presbyterian church, as was also his wife. He died in 1841. Mrs. Mack, after his death, supported herself and daughter Jennie by means of her needle. Jennie was fairly educated, and after maturity was married to Robert H. Snyder, now a wealthy gentleman of Louisville. Mrs. Mack died December 26, 1874. She was dearly beloved by her children and highly respected by all who knew her. James T., the only son, was born September 15, 1830, in the log hotel mentioned.
Being but eleven years of age when his father died, he was obliged to forego many of the advantages of education and other pleasures, and therefore worked at anything that offered itself. At the age of nineteen years he opened a restaurant, which has been his principal occupation since. For a time during the war he was in the latter department of the 20th Ky. reg., with John Morgan, son of Dr. Morgan, of Crawfordsville. In 1869 and 1870 he kept a restaurant in Kankakee, Illinois, but since that time has been in Crawfordsville. He spent seven months in Leadville in 1879. In 1880 he moved into his present pleasant room, No. 44 East Main Street, Elston 's block, opposite the post-office, and is doing a good business. He is one of the few successful men in his line of business.
Mr. Mack was married in 1849 to Elizabeth E. Wasson, daughter of John and Sarah R. (Allbright) Wasson. They have four children : Fannie, Sarah, Jaja, and James T. Jr. He is a Mason, an Odd-Fellow, and a member of the A.O.U.W. He and wife are members of the Methodist Church. - typed by kbz
SOURCE: Atlas of Montgomery County (Chicago: Beers, 1878) p 54
MACK, James B. PO Crawfordsville, Farmer & Stock Raiser, native of Butler Co OH settled in this co. 1845