owner of a fine farm of 250 acres of choice land. Mr. Andrews was married August 14, 1834, to Miss Amanda Rhoads, daughter of Silas Rhoads, and to this union were born three children, one son, Silas, being the only one living. A son named James was killed in the Rebellion while fighting for the Union. Their daughter, Elizabeth, died after her marriage, leaving at her death two children. Mrs. Andrews died in 1840, and in 1841 Mr. Andrews was married again, taking for his second wife, Miss Margaret Rhoads, a sister of his former wife. Of the ten children born to this union seven are yet living -- Caroline, Harriet, William, Ira, Otis, Annie and Laura.
JOHN W. BEAUCHAMP of Highland Township, was born in the State of Ohio, in 1821, of French descent, and is a son of David Beauchamp, one of the old and honored pioneers of Vermillion County. He was born in the State of Delaware in 1799, and when young was taken by his parents to Ohio, where they made their home until death. He was married in Ohio to Miss Dorothy Jubinal, a native of Kentucky, and to them were born twelve children, seven sons and five daughters. In October, 1826, Mr. Beauchamp brought his family, then consisting of his wife and four children, to this county, and settled on section 6, Highland Township, on the farm now owned by Henry Parks. He cleared and improved this place and resided here until his death. Here his wife died March 14, 1851, and he afterward married Mrs. Matilda (Henthorn) Ilines, a daughter of William Henthorn, and to this union one son, Thomas, was born, who died in childhood. Mr. Beauchamp came to the county a poor man, but by years of persevering industry and economy he became the owner of a good farm, and in his later years was in comfortable circumstances. He died March 27, 1868. Of the children of his first marriage, five of the sons are residents of Missouri, and one son lives near Oakwood, Illinois; a daughter lives in Iowa, and another daughter lives in Illinois. Three of the daughters are deceased. John W. Beauchamp, whose name heads this sketch, is the only member of his father's family now living in Indiana. He was but five years old when brought to this county, and although so young he remembers incidents of the journey to the county. He has been a resident of Vermillion County for sixty-one years, and has always taken an active interest in its growth and advancement. He was married August 17, 1843, to Miss Amanda Hughs, who was born in Virginia, March 14, 1823, and to this union the following children were born -- James C., who was born October 14, 1844, enlisted in the Fifty-seventh Indiana Infantry, during the war of the Rebellion, and died in Kentucky a few months after his enlistment; William Mc., born November 15, 1846, served during the last year of the war in the One Hundred and Fifteenth Indiana Infantry; Margaret Ann, wife of William Miller, was born December 10, 1849; Barbara E., born July 3, 1851, is the wife of Perry Jones; Asbury M., born August 24, 1853; Clark J. was born March 4, 1856, and died when about sixteen years of age; Mary F. was born November 17, 1858, and died February 8, 1880, and Charley Mc., born November 16, 1860. Mr. Beauchamp was bereaved by the death of his wife, who had been a faithful helpmeet for over forty-three years, her death taking place at the homestead in Highland Township, December 17, 1886. Mr. Beauchamp is the owner of a fine farm,
and a pleasant home in Highland Township, where he has made his home since the year 1855, and is one of the respected men of his township.
JAMES SMITH, an active and enterprising citizen of Highland Township, has lived on the same farm where he now resides since 1866. He is a native of Indiana born in Fountain County, December 13, 1834, a son of Rhoads Smith, who was born in Scott County, Kentucky, August 29, 1803. Berryman Smith, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was a native of Virginia, removing thence in 1820, to Scott County, Kentucky, settling on Mayor Hurn's farm, five miles from Georgetown, where he made his home for twenty-five years. He then immigrated to Indiana, and settled in Fayette County near Connersville, where he resided seven years, removing from there to Fountain County, Indiana, where he died in 1839. Rhoads Smith was united in marriage at Connersville, to Miss Christiana Conner, a native of North Carolina, whose father, Daniel Conner, was a native of the same State. They resided a number of years after their marriage in Fountain County, Indiana, and finally removed to Vermillion County, Illinois, about the year 1849, where the father of our subject died in 1882. He was a worthy and consistent Christian, and a member of the Baptist church for a period of sixty-five years. James Smith, whose name heads this sketch, was reared in his native county. On reaching manhood he was married to Miss Lucretia Goff, a daughter of David Goff, and to them have been born seven children five sons and two daughters. Mr. Smith has a good farm and a pleasant homem and most of the improvements on his place have been made by himself, erecting his present residence and barn and making other substantial improvements, the entire surroundings of the place indicating the care and thrift of the owner. Mr. Smith has been a member of the Baptist church since June 16, 1855, and has been engaged in the ministry about ten years. He is a preacher of much force and earnestness, and well informed on scriptural subjects, and is one of the most respected citizens of Highland Township.
LEVI A. McKNIGHT, one of the active and progressive business men of Vermillion County, was the pioneer merchant of Gessie, establishing his business at this place in the spring of 1871. He was born in Xenia, Ohio, June 1, 1846, a son of Linton McKnight who removed from Virginia, his native State, to Ohio, and in 1850 to Fountain County, Indiana, where he lived until his death. The father being a farmer, our subject was reared to agricultural pursuits, his youth being spent in assisting with the work of the farm, and in attending the public schools of his neighborhood. In his twentieth year he began teaching school. In 1865 he came to Highland Township Vermillion County, where he taught two years, when he was appointed principal of the school at Eugene, a position he held two years. He then engaged in the mercantile business at Boswell, in Benton County, where he remained until the building of the railroad through Vermillion County, and the establishing of the station at Gessie, when he removed to this place. In connection with his general mercantile business he is also engaged in buying grain, and is the leading grain and general merchant of the place. Mr. McKnight has been twice mar-