cut the first wheat, and gather the first corn raised on the Swayze farm on Helt's Prairie. He was united in marriage November 4, 1830, to Miss Jane Skidmore, the eldest of eight children of Joshua Skidmore and to this union five children were born, of whom three are yet living, named William A., a resident of Helt Township; John S., engaged in the grocery trade in Danville, Illinois, and Henry H. a practicing physician of St. Bernice, this county. Mr. James followed farming until 1852, when he removed to Montezuma, where he was engaged in the mercantile business some sixteen years. He then dealt extensively in grain and stock for a time, and is now living retired from active business life, enjoying the fruits of his years of toil and industry. Mrs. James died January 23, 1873, and Mr. James was a second time married November 20, 1873, to Mrs. Anna R. Elder, a native of Clinton County, New York, widow of Samuel Elder and daughter of Mason Meade. Mr. James has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church since 1828, his wife having also been a member of the same church many years. In his political views he affiliates with the Republican party.
GEORGE A. CRABB, one of the leading business men of Clinton, engaged in dealing in groceries, was born at Clinton Locks, in Parke County, Indiana, January 22, 1859, a son of Walter G. and Eliza (Thayer) Crabb. His father was born in Ohio, August 2, 1816, a son of John W. Crabb, who was one of the pioneers of the Wabash Valley, and who made his home on Walker's Bluff in Parke County, this State, in 1824. Walter G. Crabb, when a young man, by the death of his father, had the care of the family thrown upon him, his elder brothers having married and left home. A few years later he married a Miss Hanson, and to them were born eleven children, of whom only three are now living -- Azro P., of Idaho Territory; Mrs. Elizabeth White, of Helt Township, Vermillion County, and Winfield S., residing in Iowa. The mother and the remaining eight children are buried at Clinton Locks. The second wife of Walter G. Crabb was a Miss Laney, who died shortly after her marriage. He was again married to Miss Eliza Thayer, a native of New York, and to this union five children were born, of whom George A., the subject of this sketch, is the eldest and excepting his sister, Mary E., of Clinton, is the only one living. Three of the children died in infancy. Walter G. Crabb led an active business life, and was among the first traders at Clinton Locks, a place of importance during the days of the operation of the Wabash and Erie Canal. He erected a warehouse which is still standing there, and was a contractor in the construction of the canal. He carried on a ferry there for eleven years, crossing the Wabash at Clinton. In 1862 he became identified with this place and until the spring of 1865 he owned and operated a steam grist-mill one and a half miles west of Clinton. In 1865 he erected the brick grist and merchant mill at Clinton, which he operated until his death, and which is now a part of his estate. He died August 22, 1884. His wife died November 12, 1877, aged forty-five years. All the brothers and sisters of Walter G. Crabb are deceased, with the exception of Mrs. Mary Welton, who resides in Edgar County, Illinois. The education of Mr. Crabb ws limited to a few months attendance in the subscription schools. He became a thorough, practical business man, and in all respects was a self-made man. His father, once well-to-do in this world's
goods, became a poor man through the failure of others, and left his family in limited circumstances and every dollar owned by Walter G. Crabb was earned by himself, and at his death he left a fair estate. In politics he was first a Whig, but affiliated with the Republican party from its organization. While not a professing Christian he gave freely of his means toward the building of churchees, and also purchased books for a Sunday-school at Clinton Locks, of which he was superintendent. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and was buried with Masonic honors. George A. Crabb whose name heads this sketch, was reared from the age of three years in Clinton, and his education was obtained in the schools of Clinton. At the age of fifteen years he took charge of his father's books, and assisted his father in his mill until establishing himself in his present business, March 14, 1883. October 16, 1881, he was married to Miss Metta V. Davidson, who was born at Clinton, September 8, 1860, a daughter of John and Jane Davidson, both of whom are deceased. Their only child, Metta Amelia, was born December 22, 1885. In politics Mr. Crabb casts his suffrage with the Republican party.
EDWARD A. FLAUGHER, M. D., a prominent physician and surgeon of Cayuga, was born in Vermillion County, Illinois, September 7, 1846, a son of Zachariah Flaugher. His father was born in Brown County, Ohio, February 22, 1811, and died in Vermillion County, Illinois, December 3, 1865. He being a farmer, our subject was reared to the same avocation, and his education was received principally in the Industrial University of Champaign, Illinois, from which institution he graduated in June, 1868. He then began reading medicine with Dr. W. T. Summers, of Urbana, Illinois, and later read under the preceptorship of Dr. Balch, of Georgetown. During the year 1871 he attended the St. Louis Medical College one term, and in 1881 he spent one term at the Ohio Medical College of Cincinnati, and two terms at the Indiana Medical College at Indianapolis, graduating from the latter college in March, 1883. Dr. Flaugher commenced the practice of his profession in 1870, which he has since followed with the exception of the time spent at college. He makes a specialty of diseases of the eye in which he is very successful, and has become identified with the prominent medical men of this part of the county. He located at Eugene in August, 1870, and in 1876 went to Williamsport, Warren County, returning to Eugene, in January, 1880. He removed his office to Cayuga in October, 1884, being the first settler at this place. He established a drug and grocery store at Cayuga, the pioneer store, which he carried on in connection with his medical practice until March 17, 1885, when he disposed of his business to Nathan Tutt. He was appointed postmaster at Cayuga in March, 1886, and still holds that position. He has now a good practice at this place. Dr. Flaugher was married August 28, 1874, to Miss Mary J. Greer, whose father was George W. Greer, an early settler of Eugene Township. Of the two children born to this union but one is living, a daughter named Mary E.
THOMAS HENRY HARRISON, one of the old and honored pioneers of Highland Township, residing on section 31, about five miles west of Perrysville, was born in Ohio County, West Virginia,