aged in teaching in Davies County Indiana, and settled in Vermillion County, Illinois, in the summer of 1828. James subsequently settled in the same county, where he died. Robert E. and George W. subsequently became residents of Vermillion County, Indiana, the former coming in the year 1830, in which year he began clerking in the store of J. and S. S. Collett at Eugene. Four years later he formed a partnership with S. S. Collett and Nathaniel Adams, under the firm name of Collett & Adams. About 1845 he bought out Mr. Collett and became associated in business with Joseph Moore, Mr. Adams having died, this partnership continuing until 1853. In 1858 Robert Barnett returned to his farm in Vermillion County, Illinois, where he has since resided. George W. Barnett, the father of Mrs. Smith, was much younger than his brother Robert, and came to this county some time after he settled here. He began life at Eugene as a clerk, and later engaged in business for himself. He was married at Eugene to Miss Jane Moore, a daughter of Thomas Moore, and to them were born two children -- Isabelle, wife of Mr. Smith, and Thomas, who died at the age of seventeen years. They lived in Vermillion County, Illinois, for a short time after their marriage, but in 1845 returned to this county and settled in the south part of Highland Township. In 1851 during the gold exceitement in California,, Mr. Barnett went to that State. Mrs. Barnett died at the homestead in Highland Township, October 13, 1869.
JOSEPH C. LYNN, farmer and stock-raiser, Helt Township, near St. Bernice, was born in Prince William County, Virginia, August 13, 1828, a son of Joseph C. Lynn, a native of the same county. His father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and spent his life in his native State. Our subject was reared on a farm, receiving but a limited education in the schools of the early day. He remained in his native State until 1854, when he moved to Washington County, Ohio, where he worked at the tanner and currier's trade until 1860, when he went to Missouri, but remained there only a few weeks, returning east as far as Vermillion County, and located in Helt township, where he has since lived. He owns thirty-one and a half acres of land, but pays special attention to farming and stock raising, his stock being of the graded Poland-China and Chester white hogs and Hostein cattle. Mr. Lynn was married March 18, 1856, to Mary E. Dowell, daughter of Jesse Dowell. Mrs. Lynn died September 12, 1877, leaving two children -- Annie V. and William T. Mrs. Lynn was a member of the Baptist church and an earnest, consistent Christian. Mr. Lynn is also a member of the Baptist church. He is an honorable, upright man, and is held in high esteem by all who know him, and has been appointed in several instances administrator to settle up estates, always giving entire satisfaction to all concerned.
JOSEPH A. MOREHEAD, farmer and stock-raiser, resides on section 26, Vermillion Township, where he owns 646 acres of good land, 166 acres of which was a part of the old homestead, entered from the Government by his father. He is a son of Alexander and Elizabeth Morehead, natives of Ohio, who came to Vermillion County in 1822, and settled on the farm which our subject now owns, where the father died in 1844, and the mother in 1849. They had a family
of five children, but two of whom, Joseph A. and Samuel, are living. Joseph A Morehead was born in 1826, and his youth was spent in assisting his father clear and improve the farm, his educational advantages being limited. He has been industrious and by good management has acquired a valuable property. He was married in 1848 to Sarah J. Eggleston, a native of Scioto County, Ohio, born in 1824, a daughter of Joseph and Nancy Eggleston, pioneers of Vermillion County, coming in the year 1825. Her parents both died in 1855. They reared a family of seven children, six of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Morehead have had nine children, five of whom are living -- Alexander, Ritha, Margaret, Horace, and Joseph E. Alexander married Alice Isled, and Margaret is the widow of Wilson Harshaw, and her daughter, Mabel, is also deceased. Elizabeth, Henrietta, and two infants are deceased. In politics Mr. Morehead is a Republican. He is one of the influential men of Vermillion County, and one of her most liberal and charitable citizens.
ROBERT BALES, farmer, and lessee of the St. Bernice flouring mills, resides on section 35, Helt Township, on the homestead where he was born September 22, 1832. his father, George Bales, came to Vermillion County in 1830, and entered 280 acres of Government land, which he cleared and improved. Robert Bales was reared a farmer until sixteen years old, when he began to work at the carpenter's trade which he followed the greater part of the time until 1887, when he leased the St. Bernice mills, which he has since superintended, and at the same time has attended to his farm. He owns a half interest in 320 acres of valuable land, which is under good cultivation. Mr. Bales enlisted in the war of the Rebellion in Company A, Seventy-first Indiana, Sixth Cavalry, and served two years. He participated in the battles of Richmond, Resaca, Cassville, Tilton, Kenesaw Mountain, Buzzard's Roost, Campbell's Station, siege of Knoxville, Bull's Gap, and others of minor importance, serving as First Lieutenant of his company. Mr. Bales was married in March, 1865, to Nancy A. McCowan, daughter of Coldwell McGowan. To them have been born six children, three of whom are living -- Minnie, Annie and Morton C. Mr. Bales is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
FRANCIS C. COMBES, section 17, Helt Township, is a native of Vermillion County, born in Helt Township February 25, 1830, a son of Thomas Combes, who came from Virginia to this county when a young man. He was reared a farmer, his educational advantages being limited to the subscription schools. In the fall of 1847 he went to Iowa, and lived in Davis, Appanoose and Van Buren counties until the spring of 1860, when he returned to Vermillion County. He enlisted in the war of the Rebellion in Company C, One Hundred and Twenty-third Indiana Infantry, and served nearly two years, participating in several severe conflicts, including the siege of Atlanta. After his return home he engaged in farming, which he has since continued. He was married December 23, 1852, to Mary A. Steele, daughter of James Steele, of Seattle, Washington Territory. They have had four children -- Sarah F. (deceased), Alice J., J. Minnie and Fannie B. Alice married William F. Morrison, of Indianapolis, and has had two chil-