ried, taking for his first wife Miss Flora E. Bennett, who was a daughter of David Bennett, Sr., who for many years was a prominent and successful farmer of Highland Township, but now a resident of Danville, Illinois. The maiden name of the present wife of Mr. McKnight, was Sarah Belle Erwin, she being a relative of Robert J. Gessie. Mr. McKnight is a member of the Masonic fraternity. In politics he is a Republican, and an able advocate of the principles of that party.
JOHN RICHARDSON is one of the active business men of Newport, and a representative of one of the pioneer families of Vermillion County. His father, Benjamin Richardson, was a native of Southern Ohio, born april 28, 1808, a son of Joseph Richardson, who was one of the early settlers of this county, father and son settling about two miles northwest of Newport, where Benjamin Richardson lived until his death, which occurred February 18, 1870. His wife, Elizabeth Richardson, was born May 16, 1818, and died September 16, 1866. They reared a family of three sons and three daughters -- William, of Eugene Township; John our subject, living in Vermillion Township; Sarah, wife of Dr. Ira Gillum, of Milford, Illinois; Florinda, who resides with her sister Mrs. Gillum; Franklin, living near Georgetown, Illinois, and Jane, wife of Butler Gillum, of Sylvania, Parke County, Indiana. The parents of our subject had born to them, besides those already mentioned, six chldren, who died before reaching maturity. John Richardson, the subject of this sketch, is a native of this county, born in Vermillion Township, March 21, 1843, and here he was reared to the vocation of a farmer. He enlisted July 26, 1862, in the war of the Rebellion, and served in the Sixth Indiana Cavalry, until June 17, 1865, being in active service all the time. He served in Kentucky under General Sherman, and in Tennessee and Georgia, and was at the battle of Richmond, Kentucky, and the siege of Knoxville, Tennessee. He was in the Atlanta campaign, and participated in the battles attending that campaign, and was in Stoneman's Macon raid. Mr. Richardson and another soldier name Lucien Whipple, now of Eugene Township, were the only members of their regiment that escaped capture or death, in this last mentioned expedition. In April, 1865, the regiment went from Pulaski, where they were mustered out of the service. Mr. Richardson was united in marriage to Miss Susan H. Hart, a daughter of Gold M. Hart, and a native of Vermillion County, Indiana, the date of her birth being June 22, 1839. To this union have been born three children, named -- Willie E,. Ella and Annie Laura. Mr. Richardson has established a good business in Newport, where he deals in stationery, tobacco and cigars, confectionery and fruits, and by his fair and honorable dealing he has gained the confidence of all who know him.
DAVID GOUTY, a resident of Gessie, and a representative of one of the well-known pioneer families of Vermillion County, is a native of this county, born in Highland Township, December 9, 1828. His father, Henry Gouty, was born in the State of Maryland in 1800. He went from his native State to Ohio, where he was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca Whitsell, and to them were born eight children, all of whom reached maturity, and of this once large family only two are living at the present time -- Jane, wife of Daniel Shute, of High-
land Township, and David, the subject of this sketch. The names of the deceased are -- Henry Thomas, Jeremiah, Zachariah, Eliza and Elizabeth. From Ohio, Mr. Henry Gouty emigrated with his family to Parke County, Indiana, and later removed to Vermillion County, where he lived until his death, which occurred October 14, 1858, at the age of fifty-eight years. His wife also died in this county in Highland township, aged seventy-four years and ten months. David Gouty, whose name heads this sketch, is one of the oldest native born citizens living in Highland Township, and few men have become better known or more universally respected through the township than he. He has been three times married, taking for his first wife Miss Minerva Shute. He was a second time married to Miss Eliza Cossey, whose father was one of the early pioneers of the county. The maiden name of his present wife was Catherine Hoobler. She is a daughter of Rev. John Hoobler, who settled in the county in the year 1832. Mr. Gouty has but one child, a son, by his second marriage. His son, William Henry, was born in Highland Township, in 1864. He was united in marriage to Miss Flora Rodgers, a daughter of Samuel Rodgers. They reside on the homestead farm.
ENOCH GEORGE SPARKS, a representative citizen of Vermillion County, was born on his father's homestead in Highland Township, July 19, 1843. His father, Daniel Sparks, was born in Maryland, near Baltimore, in 1805, and when a lad went with his parents to Ohio, they settling near Kingston where he lived many years. He was twice married, his first wife being named Miss Margaret Towers. Of the children born to this union, three are still living, a son and two daughters. The father came with his family to Vermillion County, Indiana, about 1835, and made a temporary settlement near Eugene. Shortly afterward he settled on section 9, Highland Township, where he spent the rest of his life. Here his wife died in 1839 and the following year he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Fleming, who was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, in 1818. She was brought to Vigo County, Indiana, in early childhood, and when eleven years old to Vermillion County, where she was reared. Seven children were born to this second union of whom only three survive -- Enoch George, our subject, who was the eldest child of this marriage; Annie M., wife of Rev. J. B. Combs, and Warner who left his home a number of years ago, and his location is unknown. Of those deceased -- Daniel died in his sixth year; Joseph F., died May 31, 1873, in his twenty-seventh year; Edith, wife of Samuel B. Lewis, died October 8, 1883, in her thirty-second year, and one child died in infancy. Their son, Joseph F., was a soldier in the war of the Rebellion, serving two years in the Seventy-first Indiana Infantry. He was in the ranks about a year when he was placed on detached service, and served in the commissary department. He was a young man of high ability, and for sometime was a student at Greencastle, Indiana. He studied law with Rhoads Brothers, at Newport, Indiana, and subsequently engaged in the practice of law at Danville, where he lived until his death. The father of our subject died March 24 1866. He was an honest, upright citizen, and was much esteemed by all who knew him. He began life poor, but by persevering industry, combined with good business ability, he acquired a good competence, and was the owner of 200 acres of fine land. For a number of years before his death he was in poor