STEWARD RARIDEN was born in Randolph County, N. C., October 2, 1812, and is the fourth of the six children born to John and Mary (Osborn) Rariden, both natives of North Carolina, and of Irish and English descent respectively. John Rariden served through the entire Revolution under Gen. Greene. He was married in his native State at the close of the war, and in 1815 moved to Lawrence County, Ind., residing there a few years, and then returning to North Carolina, where he died in 1855. The mother of Steward Rariden died when the latter was but five years old, after which he lived with an uncle in Lawrence and Greene Counties until he was twenty-two. He then farmed on shares for two .years in Greene, where he next bought a farm, on which he resided until 1845, when he sold and moved to Monroe County, where he farmed until the spring of 1851, when he came to this township and entered eighty acres, to which he has since added eighty more, and here he has lived ever since. September 8, 1835, he married Mary J. Beech, who was born in Spencer County, Ky., February 27. 1817, and was the daughter of Elliott and Mary (Buskirk) Beech, both natives of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Rariden have had born to them eight children, of whom four are yet living-Robert, Elliott S., Anna E. and Samuel J. Mr. Rariden is a Republican, and has been Trustee of this township, and both he and wife are members of the Christian Church.

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