Randolph  County,  Indiana

Seth  Hinshaw


            As a twentieth century business man Seth Hinshaw is deserving to rank among the forefront of this class in Winchester. He is one of the well- known and successful general contractors of the county and is at present doing a general insurance business. He has always looked to the good of Randolph county and did what he could toward its development in every way, and here he has been content to spend his life, having lived to note many momentous changes in the county and its towns, and it might be well to add here that he and his family have by no means been idle spectators of all this change.
            Mr. Hinshaw was born May 30, 1853, in White River township Randolph county. He is a son of  Edmund and Irena (Hiatt) Hinshaw. The father was born in Guilford county, North Carolina, and the mother was born in Virginia. The Hinshaws came to Randolph county, Indiana, as early as 1833 and were therefore among the early settlers, and from that day to this the name has been prominent in the affairs of the county. The paternal grandfather, Benjamin Hinshaw, came with his family to Wayne county, this state, and his son, Edmund, father of our subject, came to Randolph county, where he became a leading farmer and land owner. His death occurred on December 14, 1883, and his wife died February 7, 1870. Their family consisted of three sons and three daughters, namely: Seth, subject of this review; Mary, who is the wife of  Cornelius Rouch, of Jay county, Indiana; Edmund is deceased; Anna has remained single; Benjamin E., who lives in Winchester, and Rachel A., who died February 25, 1870. By a former marriage, Edmund, Sr., had three sons and one daughter: Abner and William were both soldiers in the Civil war and died during the service; Jesse died in Winchester August 5, 1898; Phoebe is the wife of James E. Huston, a Civil war veteran. The father of the above named children was a Democrat in the early part of his life, but later became a Republican. He and his wife were members of the Friends church. He was a man of sterling integrity and prompt in all his business obligations, and he instilled this principle into the family.
            Seth Hinshaw was reared on the home farm and he attended the common schools, remaining with his parents on the farm until he was married on December 13, 1877, to Mary Owens, a daughter of Peter and Rachel (Davis) Owens, of Randolph county. This union resulted in the birth of two children, namely: Bessie, who married Wilbur Grow, of Ward township, Logan married Bonnie James and lives on his father's farm in Ward township.
            After his marriage, our subject farmed successfully in Ward township until 1906, when he moved to Winchester and here he has been engaged in contracting road work and bridge building in this county and has built up an extensive business. His work gives satisfaction always, for it is honestly and skillfully done. He also conducts an insurance and loan office and has built up a large and growing business in this line.
            Politically, he is a Republican, and has long been actively interested in public matters, and for a number of years has been on the drainage commission of Randolph county, an office appointed by the court. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and he and his family belong to the Christian church, of which he is a trustee. He is a stockholder in the Ridgeville State Bank. He is one of the county’s substantial, broad, liberal and energetic business men. His office is at 120 ½ West Washington street, and his residence at 551 North Main street.
Past and Present of Randolph County, Indiana, 1914.
Contributed by Gina Richardson

Biography Index        Main Page

The Randolph County, Indiana INGenWeb family history site is maintained by Phyllis Fleming.  Copying is permitted for noncommercial, educational use by individual scholars and libraries. You may link to this page with prior permission, provided no fee is required to access the link, but no commercial use of this material is permitted.  This message must appear on all copied material.