TORR, Joseph D. - Putnam

Few families have left a more distinct impression upon Putnam county than that of the Torrs, who have been identified with this section for over eighty-two years. The first arrival reached here in 1828 when James moved his brother William to Indiana with a six-horse team. James came himself in 1842 and located near his brother. He at once secured the farm in Madison township which has figured so conspicuously in the family affairs and been regarded as one of the county's landmarks. He first purchased two hundred acres, whose only improvement was a log cabin. To this he shortly afterward added two hundred acres more, and to the clearing, cultivating and improving of this fine tract he devoted the rest of his life. The present house was built in 1854 and at the time was regarded as one of the finest country residences in the county. It was constructed almost entirely of a fine yellow poplar. This splendid tree, which grew nearby, was one hundred feet to the first limb, two hundred feet in height and seven feet in diameter. Sawed with an old fashioned upright saw, it made the lumber for the house, including the frame, rafters and most of the interior work, as. well as the shingles. The finishing was done in black walnut and Mr. Torr burned his own lime in log heaps. He devoted his place to the raising .of stock, grain and fruit, fed many cattle and other kinds of stock, practically the entire farm being kept under cultivation all the time. He was friendly to the cause of religion and his house and barn were open at all times for services by the itinerant ministers. He was a great friend of Asbury University, now DePauw, and provided one of the scholarships. In 1874 Mr. Torr developed a stone quarry on his land, by the line of the Big Four railroad, which then ran through his place. He built a lime kiln and conducted this industry for six years, the product being of superior quality. Some ten or fifteen men were employed at the start and this force was increased to thirty-five or fifty. He had a passion for fine orchards and set several acres in fruit trees. He was also a lover of flowers and took great pride in his lawn, which was laid out with beautiful taste and ornamented with shrubs, evergreens and various kinds of flowers. He was a self-educated man, as three months would cover all the schooling he received. His death occurred June 3o, 1880, as the result of an untoward accident. While returning home from Greencastle, his buggy was struck by a train at the railroad crossing, his injuries resulting fatally a few hours later. His wife died December 4, 1893, after becoming the mother of fourteen children. Twelve of these, six sons and six daughters, reached maturity and nine are living in .191o. Mrs. Torr was an accomplished woman and learned German in order that she might talk it to her Children. Joseph D. Torr, one of the sons, was born September 14, 1856, and was the first of the children to see the light of day in his father's new house. He spent four years in the classical course at DePauw University. After leaving the university he engaged as a coal dealer at Greencastle and carried on farming operations with his father. After the latter's death he formed a partnership with his elder brother, William M., to conduct the stone quarries and lime kiln. Joseph rented the home farm of his mother during her lifetime, though he continued to live at Greencastle. He installed a crushing plant, and in company with his brother contracted to build bridges for the county, furnish material for buildings and finally took charge of railroad bridge work. The quarries closed when the railroad changed its route and left them by the wayside. The Torr Company had extensive contracts for all stone work on the Big Four railroad, and later they secured contracts for two years with the Vandalia railroad, since then shipping crushed stone to the extent of ten carloads daily. Joseph Torr finally bought the old home farm, and devotes it principally to stock feeding, several cars of stock being prepared for market on the place every year. On March 4, 1885, Mr. Torr married Josephine Cavins, of Bloomfield, Greene county, Indiana. Her father, Col. Aden G. Cavins, commanded the Ninety-seventh Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry during the Civil war. She is a graduate of DePauw University, class of 1884, and was for a time one of the teachers. Mr. and Mrs. Torr have had eight children : Aden Cavins, Maynard Deem, Harold Livingston, Lucile, Helen, Josephine; Eleanor Matilda having died in childhood, and Margaret. Mr. Torr is a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. The original Torr residence, or one that stood near the present homestead, served as the first courthouse in the county, at least the first court was held there. – thanks to the Indiana State Library digital collection