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Vermillion County Genealogy

Biographical and Historical Record of Vermillion County, Indiana


516 - History of Vermillion County

has one child; Orissa O. and Edwin S. The doctor received his medical education at the Miami Medical College of Cincinnati, Ohio. He began the practice of medicine in 1868 in Edgar County, Illinois, and in the fall of 1869 came to Toronto, Vermillion County, where he has since been engaged in his chosen profession, and being well skilled in that pursuit, has gained a large and successful practice, and has secured the confidence and respect of the entire community. Dr. and Mrs. Eaton and their two daughters are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

JACOB R. BERTOLET, dealer in hardwood lumber and railroad ties, is one of the prominent business men of Cayuga.

JAMES H. BURNSIDE, one of the respected men of Vermillion County, and an active and enterprising citizen, is a native of Indiana, born in Putnam County, February 25, 1837. His father, James Burnside, was a native of Kentucky, and one of the early pioneers of Putnam County, where he entered land from the Government in the early history of the county. He being a farmer by occupation, the subject of this sketch was reared to the same pursuit, and in his youth he received a common-school education He has always followed farming, and in connection with his agricultural pursuits he has for the past fourteen years operated a threshing machine, and now owns his third Massillon thresher, and the Birdsall Traction Engine, and can thresh 1,000 bushels of wheat of 1,500 bushels of oats in a day. In 1862 he came to Vermillion County, settling the same year in Helt Township. In 1867 he went to Edgar County, Illinois, remaining there until 1876, since which he has made his home in Helt Township, Vermillion County, where he owns a tract of twenty acres. He is a worthy member [of] the United Brethren church.

JAMES A. FOLAND was born in Greene County, Ohio, near Xenia, in September, 1823. He lived with his parents on the farm until 1836. When he was in his thirteenth year he removed to LaFayette, Indiana, where he was engaged in merchandizing with his uncle, clerking for him until 1848. In 1847 he married Miss Catherine A. Brawley, and before removing from LaFayette in 1848, they had one son, William B., born to them. In that year (1848) the family removed to Vermillion County, Indiana, settling in Perrysville, in Highland Township, where he immediately engaged in merchandizing for himself, bringing his stock of goods with him. He remained there until 1860, when he was elected county treasurer, and moved with his family to Newport, and entered upon his official duties; was re-elected in 1862, and at the expiration of his second term, he with his family, returned to Perrysville, Highland Township, when he commenced clerking for John M. Dunlap, taking charge of the business. In 1870 he was again elected treasurer of the county, and removed to the county seat, serving that term, and was re-elected to fill the same office in 1872, and having served the two years, he in 1872 retired from politics, and with his family lived in Newport until 1887, when they removed to Danville, Illinois, where he is at present engaged in the buying of stock and produce. Mr. and Mrs. Foland have had born to them two children, one son and one

Biographical Sketches - 517

daughter. The latter was born in Perrysville in 1851. in 1872 she was married to James L. Ford, and they have one child, Kate F. Mr. Foland was an old-line Whig, but upn the organization of the Republican party he allied himself to that party, and has been one of the most prominent workers in the county. He cast his first vote for Zachary Taylor. Mrs. Foland's religious views are in favor of Methodism, while he was brought up in the old Presbyterian faith, and still adheres to that belief.

JOHN S. HOUCHIN, a progressive and enterprising citizen of Vermillion County, Indiana, residing on section 15, Helt Township, dates his birth in Vermillion County, Illinois, September 18, 1848, and is a son of Jesse Houchin, who is yet a resident of this county. John S. was brought by his parents to Vermillion County, Indiana, in 1850, where he was reared on a farm, and educated in the common schools. He has been a resident of this county since the year 1850, with the exception of the time spent in Parke County, Indiana, during the years 1871-'72. He was married September 22, 1868, to Miss Eudora S. Johnson, who was born in Greene County, New York, September 10, 1848, a daughter of John D. Johnson, deceased. Mr. Houchin has followed saw-milling or the lumber trade the greater part of his life, and has owned and operated a saw-mill eleven years. He and his brother, Bruce Houchin, own and operate the Belleville thresher, which is propelled by the Gar, Scott & Co. Traction Engine, and can thresh 2,500 bushels of oats of 1,500 bushels of wheat in a day. Our subject also devotes considerable attention to general farming and stock-raising and is the owner of a fine farm of 139 acres where he resides. He was a member of the building committee on the Springhill Methodist Episcopal church, which was built between the years 1879 and 1881. He is a public-spirited man, and takes an active interest in any enterprise which tends toward the advancement of his township or county.

GEORGE W. SAXTON, an enterprising citizen of Helt Township, residing on section 32, was born in Helt Township, Vermillion County, Indiana, May 11, 1838, a son of Benjamin Saxton, a native of Ohio, who settled here when the surrounding country was in a state of nature, living in the county until his death Our subject was reared on the home farm to agricultural pursuits, which he has always followed, and in his youth he received a common-school education in the schools of his neighborhood. He served three years in the late war, a member of Company A, Thirty-first Indiana Infantry, enlisting as a private, and was discharged with the rank of Sergeant. He participated in the battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Stone River, Chickamauga, Resaca and Atlanta. He was united in marriage May 6, 1865, to Miss Sarah E. Wait, a daughter of William H. Wait, who is deceased. To them have been born nine children as follows: Addie (deceased), Cora B., Rurie O., Otis, Victor O., Oliver, Mary L., Georgia E. and Benjamin. Mr. Saxton's farm contains 146 acres of choice land, and he is classed among the successful farmers and stock-raisers of his township. Since 1878 he has been engaged in threshing, his machine being the Nichols' Shepard make of Battle Creek, Michigan. His engine is of the same manufacture, and is a traction of ten horse power, capacity being 1,500 bush-