a native of Vermillion County, born in Newport November 12, 1858, daughter of James A. and Elizabeth (Van Camp) Bell, pioneers of the county. Her father died in 1872. Of a family of nine chldren but four are living -- three, William R., Susan and Minnie, being at home with their mother. Mr. and Mrs. Stahl have three children -- Bessie, Mabel and Maude.
JONATHAN CARITHERS, who has been identified with the interests of Vermillion County for many years, resides on section 29, Highland Township, about one mile west of the village of Gessie. He is a worthy representative of one of the early pioneer families, his father, William H. Carithers, having settled in Highland Township with his family in 1829. William H. Carithers was a native of the State of New York, born January 19, 1800. When a young man he went to Ohio, and was married in that State to Miss Eleanor Decker, a native of New Jersey, born April 1, 1802. They reared a family of eight children to maturity -- George, now living in Warren County, Indiana; Jonathan, the subject of this sketch; Mary, deceased: Catherine, also deceased; William H., a resident of Allamakee County, Iowa; Henry C., Francis M. and Martha Jane, residents of Vermillion County. William H. Carithers, Sr., lived on the land on which he first settled in Highland Township, and which is now owned by his sons, until his death, which occurred September 15, 1851. He was one of the prominent and substantial citizens of his township, and his children have become representative citizens. His widow, the mother of our subject, died December 2, 1867. Jonathan Carithers is a native of Ohio, born January 4, 1824, and was quite young when brought by his parents to Indiana. He has lived in the county for fifty-eight years, and is classed among the most respected citizens of Highland Township. Mrs. Carithers was formerly Mary Elizabeth Preston, a daughter of Bennett Preston, one of the early pioneers of Highland Township. She was born in Kentucky in 1830, coming with her parents to Vermillion County, Indiana, in 1834: Mr. and Mrs. Carithers are the parents of four children -- William P., Charles L., Elizabeth J. and Mary Frances. In politics Mr. Carithers was formerly a Whig, casting his first Presidential vote for Zachary Taylor in 1848. He now affiliates with the Republican party.
JAMES ASBURY, blacksmith, resides on section 21, Vermillion Township, where he owns 114 acres of valuable land. He was born in Virginia, January 21, 1815, a son of Joseph and Hannah (Talbott) Asbury, natives of Virginia, his father of English and his mother of Irish descent. Joseph Asbury was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and served five years. In September, 1815, the parents started for Kentucky, but before they reached there the father died. The following spring the monther continued her journey to Kentucky, and died there in 1835. In 1828 James Asbury came to Vermillion County, Indiana, and settled in Newport. He learned the blacksmith's trade of an older brother. After learning the trade he worked two years in a saw-mill and in that way got money enough to start a shop of his own, which he carried on eighteen years, when he bought the farm where he now lives. He has a good home and is in comfortable circumstances, the result of a life of industry and good management. Mr. Asbury was
married in 1836 to Elizabeth Jones, a native of Kentucky. To them were born twelve children, seven of whom are living -- James W., of Vermillion Township; Isabel, wife of Rufus Elder, of Illinois; Mary E., wife of William P. Carmack; John W., of Kansas; George and Benjamin S., of Vermillion County, and Eliza, wife of William T. Davis. Mrs. Asbury died in 1882, and in 1883 Mr. Asbury married Sarah, widow of Henry Wise. They have two children -- Daniel and James R. In politics Mr. Asbury affiliates with the Republican party.
SEYMOUR NEBEKER, Clinton, Indiana, is a representative of one of the early families of Vermillion County. He was born in this county, in Helt Township, July 18, 1847, a son of Aquila and Naomi (Wright) Nebeker, his father a native of Delaware, and his mother of New York. The parents came to Vermillion County in an early day and settled in Helt Township, where they lived until 1865, when they moved to Clinton, where the father died in 1880, aged sixty-five years. He was for many years one of the county's prominent citizens and at one time represented it in the State Legislature. His widow survived until January, 1883, dying at the age of sixty-four years. They had a family of four son[s] and five daughters -- Jasper, a member of the Eighteenth Indiana Infantry, died while in the service of his country, during the war for the Union. Mrs. Laura Washburn and Mrs. Thirza Anderson reside in Clinton. Seymour is the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Maria Whitcomb is deceased; Mrs. Melissa Bogart and Dr. Henry live in Clinton; Mrs. Myrtle A. Bassett (deceased), and Bird A., of Elpaso, Texas. Seymour Nebeker passed his youth on a farm and has for the greater part of his mature life devoted his time to agriculture. In 1869 he accompanied General H. D. Washburn, then of Clinton, to his field of labor as surveyor-general of Montana Territory. He spent four years in that Territory on the surveyor's staff, his chief after General Washburn's death being John E. Blaine, a brother of James G. Blaine, and in the spring of 1870 began surveying under contract, the work affording ample remuneration. In the autumn of 1873 he returned to Vermillion County, where he has since lived. April 7, 1876, he married Miss Susan Staats, who was born in Helt Township, November 2, 1845, a daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Cummings) Staats, natives of Virginia, where they were married, coming to Indiana in an early day. Mr. and Mrs. Nebeker have two children -- Edna, born April 10, 1878, and Mary Louise, born August 21, 1883. Mr. Nebeker commenced married life on a farm two miles and a half north of Clinton, which he still owns, and where he lived until after the death of his father, in 1880, when he moved to Clinton and has since lived on the homestead of his parents in that city. His farm contains 240 acres of valuable land, and he still superintends its culture. In politics Mr. Nebeker has always been identified with the Republican party, casting his first Presidential vote for U. S. Grant. He is a member of the Masonic order, Jerusalem Lodge, No. 99, at Clinton.
WILLIAM A. SHELATO, proprietor of the livery and feed stable, Newport City, Indiana, is a native of Vermillion County, born in 1857, a son of Frank and Maria (Thornton) Shelato, also natives of Vermillion County, of German descent. They