North Carolina when sixteen years of age. The parents of our subject came to Vermillion County in 1831 and settled on the same section where he now resides, the land at the time of their settlement being in a state of nature. David A. Reed was reared on this farm, and in his youth attended the rude log cabin subscription schools, receiving such education as could be obtained therein. He was married December 11, 1849, to Nancy M. Wishard, a daughter of John O. Wishard, who settled in Vermillion County as early as December, 1829. Eleven children were born to this union, of whom seven are living -- Jane, John J., Margaret E., Mary E., Sarah A. Barbara A. and Laura B., all married with the exception of Laura. Mr. and Mrs. Reed have now fifteen grandchildren. Mr. Reed has made farming the principal occupation of his life, and by his own persevering industry and economy he has accumulated his present fine property, he having commenced life for himself entirely without means. He is now the owner of 249 acres of choice land, and resides on section 28, Helt Township. In connection with his general farming he devotes considerable attention to stock-raising, making a specialty of graded stock. Mr. Reed has been a member of the Methodist Protestant church from the age of sixteen years, and has always given liberally of his means toward the support of the gospel. He is an active Sabbath-school worker, and has seved as superintendent or teacher for more than forty years. In his political views he affiliates with the Republican party. His son, John J. Reed, is one of the rising young agriculturists of Helt Township, and is the owner of a good farm of 101-1/2 acres on section 28 of the same township. He was born in Helt Township, Vermillion County, July 17, 1852, where he was reared a farmer, and educated in the common schools. He was united in marriage March 29, 1881, to Rosetta Heidle, whose father, John M. Heidle, was one of the pioneers of Helt Township. They are the parents of three children -- Jesse A., Margaret E. and an infant son yet unnamed.
JAMES F. CARMACK, farmer and stockraiser, resides on his father's farm on section 7, Vermillion Township. He is the owner of a good farm of fifty acres, all well improved, located elsewhere in the county. He was born on the farm where he now lives, in 1854, a son of Andrew and Rachel Carmack. His mother is deceased and his father now lives in Dana. He was reared a farmer, and since starting in life for himself has been successful, and is now numbered among the representative citizens of his township. He was married in 1883 to Margaret A., daughter of A. R. and Alvira Newlin, pioneers of Vermillion County. In politics Mr. Carmack is a Democrat. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
WILLIAM SLATER, of Dana, was born in Vermillion Township, Vermillion County, indiana, July 3, 1849, a son of James and Melissa (Hifill) Slater. His father was born in the State of Ohio, coming to this county when a young man, where he lived until his death. His mother is still living, and makes her home with her son-in-law, William Reed, about three and a half miles from Dana. He was reared to the avocation of a farmer, and his education was obtained in the common schools of the county. When twenty-one years of age he learned the
blacksmith's trade, which he followed until May, 1886. In 1870 he went to Iowa, where he spent over nine years, working at his trade in Mount Pleasant and Ottumwa. In 1880 he went from Iowa to Colorado, and in 1886 left La Junta, Bent County, that State, for Vermillion County, and has since been a resident of Dana. Mr. Slater was united in marriage April 10, 1875 to Miss Jennie Moore, who was born in Henry County, Iowa, October 6, 1861, a daughter of Peter and Caroline (Gallagher) Moore, her father deceased, and her mother living in Trenton, Iowa. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Slater, named Pearl and Mont.
THOMAS THOMPSON, the genial proprietor of the Cayuga House, is a native of Indiana, born in Putnam County, June 14 1839, his father, Garrison Thompson, who is now deceased, being one of the pioneers of that county. Our subject was reared in his native county, receiving his education in the common schools of his neighborhood. He was married April 1, 1861, to Miss Sarah Smith, a daughter of James H. Smith, of Bainbridge, Indiana, and to them have been born five children -- Gertrude, Cora, Frank, Fred and Maude. Gertrude married John Owens, of Putnam County, and they are the parents of three children, named Glen, Ethel and Georgeann. Mr. Thompson was a member of Company B, Forty-third Indiana Infantry, in the war of the Rebellion, and participated in the battles of New Madrid, Island No. 10, Helena, Little Rock, Memphis, Fort Pillow, Cameron and Marks Mill, being taken prisoner at the last mentioned place. He was then sent to Tyler, Texas, where he was imprisoned ten months. He remained in the service of his country almost four years, when he returned to his home. He came to Eugene in 1885, and in January, 1887, came to Cayuga and took charge of the Junction Hotel until his present commodious hotel was erected. He has served during the past two years as justice of the peace, in which office he is serving with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. He is a comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
JOSEPH A. CLOVER, section 11, Clinton Township, is a representative of one of the earliest families of the neighborhood. He was born near Cincinnati, Ohio, August 6, 1818, a son of James and Eliza (Aspril) Clover, his father a native of the Allegheny Mountain district of Pennsylvania, but about 1817 moved to Ohio, locating near Cincinnati, and thence in 1822 to Vermillion County, Indiana. They settled on section 11, Clinton Township, on what is now the homestead of our subject. The country was then a wilderness, their nearest neighbor being Truman Ford, who lived three miles southeast. The father was in limited circumstances, but had enough to pay for eighty acres of land, and help maintain his family until he could clear a few acres and raise food. The nearest mill was at Eugene, twenty-five miles distant. He was a great lover of the chase, and generally furnished his neighbors with venison. He killed the only bear ever killed in his neighborhood. His house was surmounted with selected antlers, and was known far and near as the "Buck Horn House." James Clover died in the prime of life, February 26, 1836, aged forty-five years, his widow follow-