son, former residents of Belmont County, Ohio, who immigrated to Illinois in 1841. Twelve children were born to this union, six sons and six daughters. Seven of the children yet survive -- David B., Sarah, Lydia, Allen J., Almedia, William H. and Smith. believing that knowledge is power Mr. Walthall has endeavored to give his children a good education, and three of them have been students at Earlham College near Richmond, Indiana. He is now in his seventieth year, and is still hale and hearty, having inherited from his parents a sound constitution. Statistics proved that the longevity of the Friends is much greater than of others, which privilege is only attained in accordance with the Bible, by honoring our parents and the observance of the laws of health from early childhood. Mr. Walthall's membership in the Society of Friends was transferred by letter from Dover Monthly meeting, Clinton County, Ohio, to Vermillion monthly meeting of Friends Vermillion County, Illinois, in the year 1842. In 1873 a new monthly meeting of Friends was established at Hopewell, Vermillion County, Indiana, of which Mr. Walthall is a member. In 1843 he was appointed overseer, and in 1853 he was made elder in the church by the Vermillion monthly meeting, the latter office being now subject to change every three years. His last appointment as elder was in 1886 by the Hopewell monthly meeting. Mr. Walthall is a member of no secret organization, having in early life taken a decided stand against secrecy and Baal worship in lodges. When a young man he found the appetite for strong drink increasing upon him, and then resolved to embrace the principles of teetotalism, to which he has since firmly held, ever with an increasing desire to destroy the rum power that the nation may be saved from the demon of alcohol. In 1876 he joined the American party and has since voted for its candidates and was the only man in his township to vote for John P. St. John for President, thus standing firm for his principles though all be against him. This is characteristic of the man, and his honest, upright living has won him many friends who trust and honor him for his straightforward, unwavering integrity.
BROWN H. MORGAN, general merchant, Clinton, is a native of Virginia, born at Middlebrook, Augusta County, September 30, 1861, a son of William and Eliza (Flinn) Morgan, both of whom were born, reared and married in the State of Virginia. They left Virginia May 1, 1874, and the same month settled at New Goshen, Vigo County, Indiana, remaining there until August, 1876, since which time they have been residents of Clinton, Vermillion County. Seven children have been born to them, their names in order of their birth being as follows -- Sallie (wife of William H. Cole, of Clinton), John H. (living in Vigo County, Indiana), Mrs. Eutie Shepherd (deceased), Mrs. Mollie E. Hanger (living in Middlebrook, Virginia), Wilfred (a resident of Clinton), Mrs. Maggie Shepherd (living in Hartford County, Kansas), and Brown H., the subject of this sketch. The father is engaged in wagon manufacturing and repairing at Clinton. Brown H. Morgan came with his parents to Clinton in August, 1876, and here he grew to manhood. Three days after reaching Clinton, August 15, 1876, he entered the general mercantile establishment of A. L. Whitcomb as clerk, and January 1 he became a partner in the business, and February 1 1887, after the death of Mr. Whitcomb, he became sole owner of the stock. He is a young man of splendid business qual-
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ifications, and is conducting the largest mercantile establishment in Vermillion County, and one of the largest in Western Indiana. The sales of this establishment are over $50,000 annually. In politics Mr. Morgan affiliates with the Republican party. He is prominent in social circles, and is identified with both the Masonic and Odd Fellows orders.
JOSEPHUS COLLETT, Sr., deceased, a prominent pioneer of Vermillion County, was born in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, February 24, 1787, and afterward removed to Columbus, Ohio. March 18, 1816, he was appointed deputy sheriff of Ross County, that State, by Thomas Steel, then sheriff, and November 5, 1818, he was elected sheriff, and faithfully served out his term. April 28, 1820, he was appointed deputy United States Surveyor by Governor Griffin, who was then surveyor-general of the Northwest Territory; and in this capacity he surveyed a district of country which embraces a large portion of the counties of Hendricks, Montgomery, Boone and Tippecanoe. in 1825 he removed to this county, where he continued to reside until his death, near Eugene, on Wednesday, February 21, 1872. During the early period of his residence in this county, he was an influential participant in the politics of this district, and in all matters of public interest. He was also a man of sagacity and prudence in the management of his property. Starting with but little capital, he amassed a large fortune, which was estimated at the time of his death at about $130,000. He used to say, "The young man who won't dig and work for himself will never become wealthy; for it is grubbing for one's self that teaches him to economize." He was a man of original characteristics, vivid positiveness and strong will. Though a little vindictive, as is apt to be the case with men of his positive nature, he was uniformly kind, courteous and obliging. His hospitality was of the old-school order, -- broad, generous and liberal. His table, loaded with the richest viands, and his sideboard with the best of liquors, always had two or three extra plates for expected guests. No friend could be forgiven who did not partake of its bounties. Many such friends as Judge John R. Porter, Senators E. A. Hannegan and Albert S. White, Congressmen Henry S. Lane and Richard W. Thompson, and the Judges of the Indiana and United States Courts were frequent partakers of his hospitality. On one occasion, when his house was crowded with such guests, word was brought to him after night that a poor, ragged man wanted to come in out of the storm and stay all night. They said they had told him that the house was full; but Mr. Collett insisted on seeing him. The "intruder" was brought in, and at once recognized as poor, crazy Jack Stinson, of Williamsport. Immediately the old feeling of hospitality and duty tramped down the necessities of the case, and Mr. Collett met him with a graceful bow and a kind shake of the hand, and introduced him as an Ohio friend to the assembled judges and lawyers, as having been formerly in their profession, but recently in bad health and unfortunate. Said he, "He was my friend in days long ago, and I am still his friend." He was a welcome guest to all there assembled; and, being so treated, his insanity disappeared and reason was for the time restored. Mr. Collett was always a friend to the poor, and no beggar ever went away empty from his door. His early educational facilities were limited to a few months' attendance at school in