BRIDGES, Moses Dillon - Putnam

Moses Dillon BRIDGES.

Putnam County has had few finer citizens than the late Moses Dillon Bridges, whose whole career of 60 odd years was identified with the county's development and progress. He was a man of very active life and useful in many ways; whether it was politics, merchandising or general business he was always at the front to have his say and do his part. HIs long life was lived without a blemish to mar his integrity or stain his character. He dealt honestly with all, never asking a cent more than was coming to him. He was successful in everything he undertook, which after all is the severest test of a man's ability, if not his worth. Moses Dillon Bridges was born at Greencastle, Indiana in Novemer 1839 when the village and Putnam County were still undeveloped. His parents, Moses Thomas and Mary (Vansant) Bridges were among the earliest of the early pioneers, coming over from Kentucky when Indiana was little more than a wilderness. Like many of the pioneers, he was forced by circumstances to become a sort of "Jack of all trades," being a farmer, merchant and shoemaker. For many years he conducted a general store at Fillmore. His son, Moses Dillon, grew up on a farm at a time when school advantages were difficult to obtain. Such as they were, however, run on the subscription order with the teacher "boarding around," young Bridges took advantage of at brief intervals until he was 16. His father started him in the general merchandising business at Groveland and also gave him an interest in the store at Fillmore. Though young at the time, he soon "caught on" and gradually develop3d into a successful merchant for those days, which was before trusts, combines and corners had been heard of and all business was conducted on the basis of the freest kind of free competition. In 1874, he removed to Greencastle, was elected county clerk, served 4 years, was re-elected and afterwards made his residence at the county seat. In office he showed the same fine qualities as in other positions and so conducted official affairs as to gain the good will and confidence of all the people. He entered the Central National Bank as cashier and was subsequently elected to the position of VP. Here, too, in entirely new duties he showed his level-headed qualities and his knowledge of general business as well as that intricate problem known as human nature. He liked the storm and struggle of political campaigns, took active part in all the hotly contested battles and was acknowledged as one of the foremost and safest of the Democratic local leaders. He rose to the Knight Templar degree in Masonry and was regular in his lodge attendance. He was a member of the Christian Church and and one of the board of trustees always manifesting interest in the case of religion. Mr. Bridges married Maude ROBERTS, who was born in Hendricks County in January 1848. Her parents, John S. and Martha Anna (Hopwood) Roberts, were natives of Kentucky and came to Indiana in an early day. Her father was a furniture maker by trade, of Welsh descent and her ancestors were Scotch-Irish on the mother's side. Mr. and Mrs. Moses Dillon Bridges had 7 children: Ollie born June 10, 1871 married Fred Gordon of Indianapolis; Grace Pearl born July 1, 1873 married Dr. R.J. Gillespie, a dentist at Greencastle; Hallie, born Sept 5, 1876 married Dr. J. M. King, one of the well known physicians of Greencastle; Nellie married S. C. Sayers, a merchant of Greencastle; Hazel born Dec 22, 1883, is still living under the parental roof; Harold Moses born Sept 26, 1887 died Jan 5, 1892; Gerald born Feb 6, 1892 is attending public school.