PROCTOR, Enoch Jeremiah Isaiah - Putnam

Agriculture has been an honored vocation from the earliest ages and usually men of proper impulses as well as those of energy and thrift, have been patrons of husbandry. The free outdoor life of the farm has a tendancy to foster and develop that independence of mind and self reliance which characterize true manhood, and no greater blessing can befall a boy than to be reared in close touch with nature, in the healthful, life-inspiring labor of the fields. It has always been the fruitful soil from which have sprung the moral bone and sinew of the country, and the majority of our nation's brave warriors, renowned statesmen, famous authors and profound scholars were born on the farm and were indebted to its early influences for the distinction which they have attained. Although E. J. I. Proctor, of Monroe township, Putnam County, has not attained national distinction in any phase of human endeavor, he came from the farm and has spent his life in this desirable line of endeavor, achieving success for himself and making his influence for good felt in his community, thus fulfilling his mission in the world just the same as if his name was written high upon the scroll of fame. He is a native of Decatur County, Indiana, born December 5, 1859, the son of W. A. and Mary A. J. (Burch) Proctor, the father a native of Ohio, born January 22, 1823. and died October 9, 1902, reaching an old age from which he could look back over a well spent life, replete with success. He came to Putnam County, Indiana, in 1877. His wife, who was a native of Franklin County, Indiana, preceded him to the grave on January 2, 1899. E. J. I. Proctor was educated in the common schools of his native community, receiving a very good education. On August 4, 18S0, he married Mary Lane Huffman, daughter of Jacob and Sarah Ellen (Stadler) Huffman, an excellent old pioneer family, a complete sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. This union has resulted in the birth of five children, named as follows: Jasper E., born July 17, 1881; Verna E., born June 3, 1883 married William Zeiner, a farmer, and lives in Floyd township: Mary E., born November 16, 1884, married Roy E. Priest and lives in California; Matilda E., born May 26, 1890. married J. R. Sallust. a farmer, and is living in Monroe township: Lola E., born April 19, 1897, is attending school. Mr. Proctor has been a farmer all his life, as has been before stated, and is now the owner of a very valuable farm of two hundred and forty acres, which are well improved m every respect and which have been so well tilled that this place ranks with the very best in the township. On it stands a very comfortable and well arranged dwelling and numerous substantial outbuildings, a good orchard, garden, and all that goes to make life on the farm desirable. He devotes considerable time to stock raising and has heen very successful in this line, always keeping a good grade of various stock. For a time Mr. Proctor lived in Madsion County, Iowa, where he married, but returned to his native community and resumed farming here. Politically he is a Democrat, and he is a member of the Christian church at Fillmore. Fraternally he belongs to the Free and Accepted Masons, Lodge No. 55. also of the Knights Templar, being at present treasurer of the latter, of which he has held all the offices in the local organization. He has long taken a deep interest in lodge work and his daily life would indicate that he believes in carrying the humanitarian and altruistic principles which they seek to inculcate, into his every-day affairs. Mr. Proctor's paternal grandfather, Joel Proctor, was born in Maine, and came to Ohio about 1820. He settled in Butler County, where he reared his family and where he died. He entered the war of 1812 in Maine and served through that war with distinction and honor. Politically a Whig, he never aspired to office nor public notoriety. He was well known and highly respected, his honor and integrity being above reproach. His children were W. A., father of the subject, born January 23, 1823: Isaiah: Elizabeth died single: Enoch, Jeremiah. Matilda, Mrs. Thomas Hayward; Michael was killed in the Civil war. All of these seven came to Indiana and though they were in limited means, all accumulated large estates. William A. and wife were worthy members of the Christian church, he being also a worthy member of the Masonic fraternity. William A. Proctor married Mary A. J. Burch. who was born in Franklin County, Indiana, December 15, 1824., a daughter of William and Sarah (McNutt) Burch. These parents were married in Virginia in an early day. The McNutt family came from Ireland and the Burch family from England, they came to Ohio and came to Indiana about 1812, settling in Franklin County, where Indians and wild beasts roamed at will. He improved a farm from land he entered in 1812 and the farm is yet in the Burch family. Both he and his wife died at the old Burch homestead in Indiana. Their children were, Margaret, Mrs. Edwin Barusley: Charles: Martha, Mrs. L. Thurston: Sarah. Mrs. Robert Noah: John A. J.: Mary A. J., mother of the subject. Born to William Proctor were: George, a farmer of Iowa: John, who died in infancy: Sarah. Mrs. Joseph Scott, first, and second Lewis Zeigler: Mary. Mrs. Joseph Ogle: William B., of Indianapolis: E. J. I., the subject, and Matilda, who died young.