Carroll County, Indiana - 1916 History
THOMAS H. B. BRITTON
Thomas H. B. Britton, farmer, living in retirement at the outskirts of
Camden, Indiana, was born on September 25, 1838, in Highland county, Ohio, and
is a son of Jonah and Martha (Locke) Britton. He was reared under his father's
roof, remaining at home until he was about twenty years of age. His early
education was obtained at the public schools, after which he attended Normal
school at Lebanon, and later entered Antioch College, fitting himself for
teaching. Mr. Britton taught his first school near Willmington, Ohio, then moved
to Kokomo, Indiana, and taught at Middle Fork in the northeast corner of Clinton
county, for a period of one year, after which he taught in various districts,
and at the Burlington Academy for ten years, during which time he was elected
county superintendent of schools, in which capacity he served for ten years, his
entire school work covering a period of thirty years. Politically, Mr. Britton
has always given his vote to the Republican party, the first of which was cast<
for Abraham Lincoln.
Jonah Britton, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Augusta
county, Virginia, and was a son of Wilson Britton. As a young man, Jonah Britton
enlisted in the War of 1812, serving throughout, and returning at the close to
Winchester, Virginia, where he learned the milling trade, and spent a great deal
of time, operating in all, three different mills. In 1828, he bought a
four-horse team and moved his family from Virginia to Ohio, settling near where
New Vienna now is, and helped to lay out that town. Mr. Britton spent the
remainder of his life in that locality, where he farmed from 1830 until his
death, which occurred in May, 1865. He was united in marriage with Martha J.
Locke, by whom he had thirteen children, six of whom were living in 1915: Andrew
J., who lives in Illinois on a farm; Drucilla J., is the widow of Jacob Vale,
and lives near Cape Horn, Washington; Thomas H. B.; William Wallace, who lives
at Russells, Highland county, Ohio; Marion D., who lives near Blanchester,
Clinton county, Ohio; and John L; Britton, who is a contractor at Sabina, Ohio.
Thomas H. B. Britton was united in marriage on September 29, i860, with Lovie E.
LeMaster, daughter of Isaac and Arminta (Morris) LeMaster. She was born on
November 20, 1842, at Shelbyville, Indiana, and received her education at the
public schools. This union has been blest with eleven children, all of whom are
living in 1915: Walter E. lives at home; John D. is at Camden, as are also Elmer
N., and Oscar; Homer L. lives at Clarkson, Washington; Alvin C. makes his home
at Camden; Oscar is also at Camden; Thomas O. is in Idaho; Lloyd is in Florida;
Virgil P. is at Urbana, Wabash county, Indiana, and Jessie W. lives at
Indianapolis. Mr. and Mrs. Britton are members of the Christian church at
Burlington, Indiana, to which they contribute liberally.
The Britton family came originally from England, and the first trace of them
in America is found in Virginia. Eight brothers by the name of Britton came to
America before the Revolutionary War, six of whom participated in the battle of
Bunker Hill, during which two of the brothers lost their lives. One of these
brothers was the ancestor of the subject of this sketch.
Wilson Britton, grandfather of Thomas H. B. Britton, was a preacher in the
old Christian church, and was a well-known and prominent man in his day in
Virginia, where he died.
History Of Carroll County Indiana, Its People, Industries and Instititions by John C O'Dell -
With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the
Old Families - Illustrated (1916 - B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY, Inc. - Indianapolis, Indiana)
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