Randolph County, Indiana
Stephen Clevenger
During the sixty-six years that Stephen Clevenger has passed in Randolph county momentous changes have taken place, and in these he has not by any means been an idle spectator, but has done much as an enterprising business man and public-spirited citizen to encourage the general progress of the same. He is the scion of a worthy old pioneer family, the name Clevenger having been a familiar one throughout this locality since the early forties and it has always stood for industry and good character. After a long and successful career as a business man and farmer our subject is now living in honorable retirement in his pleasant home in Winchester. He is one of our honored veterans of the Civil war and one of our worthiest native sons.
Mr. Clevenger was born on October 27, 1847, in Greensfork township, Randolph county. He is a son of Thomas and Mary Ann (Clanin) Clevenger. These parents were both natives of Ohio, the father of Warren county, and they grew to maturity and were married in their native state; shortly after their marriage they removed to Randolph county, Indiana, in 1844, and here established the permanent home of the family on the farm, which they developed by hard work. In this county they spent the rest of their lives, the father dying on December 1, 1889, and the mother joined him in the spirit-land on August 3, 1892. They had, however moved in 1863 to a farm four miles east of Winchester in White River township. Thomas Clevenger became one of the largest land owners and most prosperous farmers in this vicinity. His family consisted of ten children, eight of whom grew to maturity.
Stephen Clevenger grew up on the home farm where he did the usual chores assigned to a boy. He was educated in the district schools. When only seventeen years of age he proved his courage by enlisting in Company A, One Hundred and Forty-seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry in which he served very faithfully until the close of the war in the famous Army of the Potomac, also served in the Shenandoah valley. He bore the hard service he saw without a murmur and was honorably discharged on August 15, 1865. After the war he returned home and continued farming in White River township until 1881 when he moved to Winchester and engaged in the coal and building material business. Through the exercise of good judgment, industry and honest dealings he prospered and continued in this business for a period of thirty years, during which period he ranked among the leading business men of the county-seat. Accumulating a competency he retired from active life in 1911, however he supervises his fine farm of two hundred and sixty acres in White River township. It is well improved and on it stands an excellent group of buildings, and here general farming and stock raising are carried on extensively.
Mr. Clevenger has been twice married, first, on September 23, 1873 to Julia A. Jobes, daughter of Dr. George O. and Evaline Jobes. The father was a prominent physician of Farmland for many years, later in life moving to Indianapolis where he engaged in the drug business, and where his death occurred a few years ago. The death of Mrs. Clevenger occurred on May 8, 1883, and on November 10, 1893 our subject was united in marriage with Mrs. Sarah Ellen Gebhard, a daughter of Simon P. Hewett, of Miamisburg, Ohio, of an early pioneer family of that state. To this second union one son was born, Thomas Reed Clevenger, whose birth occurred on August 13, 1894. He was graduated from the Winchester high school.
Politically, Mr. Clevenger is a Republican and has long been very active in public matters. He served as a member of the city council for twelve consecutive years and many of the important public improvements were consummated during that period. He has also served as a member of the Republican County Central Committee at various times. He is a member of Nelson Trusler Post, No. 6o, Grand Army of the Republic. He was a delegate to the state encampment in 1913. He is a member of the Masonic order, and all intermediate degrees up to the thirty-second degree. He is a charter member of Winchester Commandery, No. 53, in which he has filled all the chairs. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Encampment and has filled all the chairs in the same. He has represented this lodge to the Grand Lodge and also the Encampment to the Grand Encampment. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Improved Order of Red Men. He is one of the most popular lodge men in the county, and this speaks much for his standing and character as a citizen and neighbor.
Past and Present of Randolph County, Indiana, 1914.
Contributed by Gina Richardson