MERSHON, James - Putnam

MERSHON, James, farmer, Hollandsburg, was born in Fleming County, Kentucky in 1819.  His parents went from Baltimore to Kentucky. in an early day.  When James was 17 his parents moved to Union Township and rented a part of Section 10.  His father died in 1838, one year after coming, and his mother followed in 1844.  Within a few years, so sickly was it, that two of his brothers, Cornelius and Miles, also died and in 1877, his only brother, Benjamin, laid away the armor of life.  his father and brothers are buried in Putnam County, and his mother in Danville.  Mr. Mershon was married in 1839 to Rachel GASSAWAY.  In 1840 he bought the NE 1/4 of SE 1/4 and the NW 1/4 of SE 1/4 of Section16 which he sold in 1844.  He then bought the NE 1/2 of SE 1/4 of Section21 and the W 1/2 of SE 1/4 of SE 1/4 and the NW 1/4 of SE 1/4 of Section28 and E 1/2 of E 1/2 of Section 21 and about 80 acres bought from the BLAKE heirs.  He has lived here for 33 years.  He has no children of his own, but he is raising two orphans and thus doing kindness to the world.  He too has passed through many hardships of an unsettled country.    He helped survey school Section 16.  He has traveled very extensively while attending to his business before coming to Indiana.  He was engaged for some time in driving stock through the south and boating on the Ms.  he has trodden the soil of 17 states.  In politics he is a republican. - kbz