TORR, James H. - Putnam

This prominent deceased citizen of Madison township was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, March 29, 1828. When six months old he was brought to Indiana by his parents, William and Maria (Kimberlin) Torr. His father died when James H. was fourteen years old and he remained with his mother until some years after his majority. October 4, 1855, he married Eva Stoner, daughter of Peter and Mary (Wells) Stoner. Eva was born in Madison township, April 16, 1832, and after one year with her mother-in-law, retired with her young husband in 1856 to her present farm. It consisted of one hundred and sixty acres, heavily mortgaged, but all this was soon cleared off and the places increased to some six or seven hundred acres. About twenty years ago the family moved to the present home, which was built by ex-Sheriff James Brandon. At this place James H. Torr died, October 31, 1902. He was successful as an agriculturist, being a general farmer and stock trader of more than the usual shrewdness. He prospered and left a fine estate, over which his-widow still presides. He was full of energy and push, notwithstanding protracted periods of ill health, and made a great success in business. In politics he was an enthusiastic Republican and was a life-time member of the Methodist church, holding various positions in the official body. He was much attached to his family and preferred being at home to any other place on earth. Of the children, Florence died in childhood ; Josephine married Charles Allen, of Madison township; William married Clara Busby and lives on part of the old farm; Charles married Hattie Busby and is in the real estate business at Muskogee, Oklahoma ; Franklin married Fanny King and resides on the old home place; Ida married Will Stroube, who lives on a part of the old homestead ; Mary married Edmund F. Watts and they own the old home. - kbz