Jennings County Biographical Sketches from Biographical
and Historical Souvenir for the Counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison,
Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott and
Washington 1889
JEPTHA DUDLEY NEW-Was born in Vernon, Jennings county,
Indiana, November 28th, A.D. 1830, and is the son of Hickman and Smyra Ann
(Smitha) New. Jethro New, the father of Hickman New, was a
native of Delaware and settled early in life in Gallatin county, Kentucky, and
in 1822 removed with is family of twelve children to Jennings county,
Indiana. Hickman New, now in his eighty-second year, is the
youngest and the only survivor of the twelve children. He began life as a
cabinet maker, and until age interrupted his labors was an active minister in
the Christian church. He is now well preserved, both physically and mentally.
Smyra Ann New, his wife, died in 1879 at the age of seventy
years. The subject of this sketch was reared in the town of
Vernon and was educated at the Vernon Seminary and at Bethany College, an
institution founded by the celebrated Alexander Campbell. After leaving college
in 1850, he read law in the office of Lucius Bingham, Esq., at Vernon. The first
public office held by him was that of Mayor of his native town, to which he was
elected at the age of twenty-two. In 1862 he was elected Common Pleas Judge for
four years, at the end of which term he declined a re-election. He then returned
to the practice of his profession, and continued in the same with great success
and profit until 1874, when he was elected to the 46th Congress, as a Democrat
in a strong Republican district, carrying it by thirteen hundred majority. He
was the first and only Democratic candidate for Congress who has ever carried
Jefferson and Jennings counties. In 1876 he was unanimously renominated for
Congress but declined. In 1878 he was urged to accept the nomination, and did
so; and he was elected after the hottest Congressional contest ever known in
Indiana in a off year. His majority was four hundred and ninety-one, although
the same counties gave the Republican State ticket a decisive majority. In the
44th Congress he was a member of the special committee, appointed to investigate
the much talked of real estate pool in the District of Columbia, and out of
which grew the celebrated Hallet-Kilbourne contempt case, in the argument of
which Judge New, on the floor of the House, represented the
committee. In the same congress he was one of a special
committee sent to New Orleans to investigate the management of the Federal
officers there. He was also, in the same Congress put upon the committee which
was sent to Louisiana to inquire into the vote for Tilden and Hayes; and was,
after reaching New Orleans, made chairman of a sub-committee set specially the
said election in what were called the "bull-dozed parishes." Upon the return of
the committee to Washington, Judge New was selected by his Democratic colleagues
on the committee to deliver one of the speaches on the Louisiana election which
under the division of time agreed on, belonged to the Democratic side of the
House. In the 46th Congress he was made a member of the
Judiciary Committee and of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of
Justice. He was also made chairman of the special committee raised to
investigate charges preferred against Mr. Seward, our minister to China. He was
also on the special committee sent to Cincinnati to investigate the
Congressional elections in that city. At the close of the 46th
Congress he resumed the practice of his profession and pursued the same actively
until 1882, when he was elected Circuit Judge. His term as Judge expired
November, 1888. Judge New is now one of the five Supreme Court
Commissioners, appointed by the last General Assembly of this State, This
commission was created in aid of the Surpreme Judges and will continue for four
years. He has been spoken of prominently for Governor. He has been successful in
the accumulation of property, being on of the largest tax-payers of his
country. His family consists of his wife, Sallie (Butler) New,
who was a pupil of his in a school taught by him after leaving college; a
daughter, Mary, the wife of Dr. William Stemm; Willard New, a very active and
promising young attorney, located at Vernon; and Burt New, now a student at
Bloomington College, Indiana.
PIERSON CONKLING-The
subject of this sketch, was one of a family of nine children, of whom six are
living at this writing. At the age of ten years his father moved with his family
to the country, a few miles from Cincinnati, and engaged in farming with good
success until his death. And he followed the same occupation until 1865, when he
sold his farm, and in 1868 came to Indiana and engaed in a general merchandise
business; first at Nebraska, Indiana, and later in 1874 at North Vernon, where
he still resides. He was married in November, 1845, to Miss Abby, daughter of
the Rev. J.D. Conrey, of Butler county, Ohio. She died in 1850, leaving two
children, James D., who is in business at Kentland, Indiana and Anna R., who
died at the age of six years. Mr. Conkling was married again in 1855 to Miss
Sarah J. Travis. They had two children, Elmer P., (dead) and Frank T., who is in
business in Greenville, Ohio. Mr. Conkling was married again September 10th,
1872, to his present wife, Miss Martha M. Burke, of Bethel, Ohio. They have no
children. He has ever been in active business life, alnd has been blessed with
remarkably good health, and is one of the most progressive business men and
enterprising merchants, builders and contractors in the
county.
LINCOLN DIXON-A prominent young lawyer; North
Vernon, Indiana, was born at Vernon, Jennings county, Indiana, February 9th,
1860. His father's native town is Paris, same county and State, where he was
born October 26th, 1826. He was a man of prominence in his day. During the war
he held the office of Provost Marshal, and was for eight years Sheriff of
Jennings county. His death occured June 10th, 1869. Lincoln Dixon's mother was a
Miss Belinda Foster, who was born in Jefferson county, Indiana, November 25th,
1836. Lincoln Dixon's early schooling was received at the Jennings Academy at
Vernon, and in 1876 he entered the State University at Bloomington, Indiana, and
from there he graduated with honor in 1880. He at once began the study of law, a
profession for which he was so well by nature adapted. He was admitted to the
bar, began practice and has been successful from the start. In
the House of Representatives, session of 1882-83, he was chosen Reading Clerk
for that body. In 1884 he was nominated by the Democratic party for Prosecuting
Attorney of his Judicial District, the sixth, composed of Jennings, Scott and
Ripley counties, the duties of which office he discharged with such great
satisfaction to his constituents that he was renominated in 1886, and elected,
and again in 1888. In the last election the fight between the parties in the
district was very hot and close, and while the Republicans carried the District
by two hundred majority. Mr. Dixon was triumphantly elected with a majority of
207. He is an honorable young man, a bright lawyer and a good speaker, and is
making a remarkable record. Mr. Dixon was married to Miss Kate Storey, of
Vernon, October 16th, 1884.
JOHN D. KIDD-Treasurer of
Jennings county, is a native of Butler county, Ohio, where he was born July
23rd, 1845. He is a son of Samuel C. and Sarah M. (Chancey) Kidd, natives
of Ohio and Maryland. The former located in Jennings county in 1849, on a
farm in Sand Creek township, where he was quite prominent man in local politics,
holding a number of township offices at different times. He enlisted in Company
B. (137th) regiment of Indiana Infantry, in which he was a corporal. John D, was
reared on his father's farm and received his education in the public schools of
his neighborhood. He enlisted in the army in 1863, Co. H.
(120th) regiment of Indiana Infantry, and was out twenty-five months, when he
was discharged, the war having closed. He took part in the Atlanta campaign, and
was in the battle of Franklin-the last severe battle of the war. Since the
return of peace he has worked at this trade, serving occasionally in some
township office-one time as township assessor. He was elected county treasurer
in 1886, on the Republican ticket and re-elected in 1888. Mr. Kidd was married
to Miss Sarah Jane Stewart, of Jennings County. They have five children, vis:
Albion S., John C., Avanel Blanche, Mary Leora and George C. Mr.
Kidd is a member of the G.A.R. and of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows.
JOHN OVERMYER-Lawyer and Ex-Speaker of Indiana
House of Representatives, was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, November 18th,
1844, and is a son of George and Harriet (Camp) Overmyer, natives of Ohio,
who in 1849 settled on a farm in Jackson county Ind. Here John, the
subject, was reared and educated. When sufficiently prepared he entered Asbury
University (now DePauw) in September, 1863, from which he graduated in June,
1867. During the last year in college he took up the study of
law, and upon leaving college he located in Jennings county, where in February,
1868 he was admitted to the bar to practice law. He is one of the leading
lawyers in the county and ranks high in his profession. From
1871 up to 1875 he had for a partner his brother, David Overmyer, who in 1882
removed to Kansas and was a candidate for Congress in fall of
1888. In 1868 John Overmyer was elected to Legislature from
Jennings county, and was chairman of committee on organization of courts. In
1872 and 1873 he was Reading Clerk in Indiana Senate, and in 1875 he was
principal Secretary of said Senate. In 1876 he was again elected
to the Lower House, and in the sessions, general and special, of 1877, was
chosen Speaker of the House. He was elected to Legislature again in 1878, but
now his part (Republican) being in the minority he was defeated, though
unanimously the nominee of his party at both regular and special sessions. In
1882 he was made chairman of the Republican State Central Committee, and held
the position two years; in 1888 he was delegate from the third district to
the National Republican Convention and has been thoroughly identified with his
party, although not in accord with the policy of opposition to tariff revision
and reduction. His political creed is "the greatest good to the greatest
number." He believes the world is governed too much-that the laws should be as
simple and direct as possibly consistant with public order." He
has been a member of the Executive Republican State Committee from 1878 to 1886,
except in 1880. He is president of the Jennings County Bank,
organized in 1885. He was made its first president and has served in that
capacity up to the present time. The institution is a Bank of Discount and
Deposit and has a capital of $25,000. Frank E. Little has been his law partner
since 1885. Mr. Overmyer was married October 30th, 1870 to Miss
Mary F. Sherfey, of Greencastle. They have two children, Misses Florence and
Isabella.
JAMES SCHULTHEISS-Was born in Gibson county,
Indiana, September 28th, 1842, and is a son of John and Catharine (Schaffer)
Schultheiss, both born in Germany, the former near Strasburg, and came to
America in 1838, locating in Gibson county, Indiana, and the latter came to this
county with her parents about 1840. James, the subject, was reared on a farm and
educated in the common schools of his county. At the age of eighteen he entered
the army under the first call for troops in the spring of 1861, for three
months. He afterward enlisted for "three years or during the war," and at the
end of that time veteranized and remained in the service until the surrender at
Appomattox closed the struggle. He was in Company G., Sixtieth Infantry, and saw
active service as long as the war lasted, a part of the time on scout duty. He
was in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Stone River, Arkansas Post, Vicksburg,
and at Appomattox. He was in the Red River expedition under Gen. Banks. Several
times entered the enemy's lines as a spy, and was successful in obtaining the
information sought and of escaping into his own lines. Was taken prisoner
half-a-dozen times or more, but always managed to make his escape. He returned
home at the close of the war and settled in Indianapolis, learned the
carpenter's trade, worked at it six or seven years, then floated around for a
time, living in Knox, Ripley, Spencer counties, etc. Finally he settled down in
Jennings county, where he has since lived and where he owns a farm of seventy
acres of well improved land. He was married in 1866 to Miss Malinda Schmidt,
born in Strasburg, Germany, and who came to America with her parents in 1856,
settling in Indianapolis. Mr. & Mrs. Schultheiss have six children, vis:
Amelia, August, Mary, Peter, Louis and George. Mr. Schultheiss is a member of
Cox Post G.A.R., No. 209, Indianapolis.
HON. GREENE L.
SMITH-The subject of this sketch, Hon. Greene L. Smith, was born in
Meigs county, Ohio, on the Ohio river, near Pomeroy, September 6th, 1848. He was
the son of Harrison and Eliza L. Smith--nee Alexander--both natives of
Ohio. His grand-parents on both sides were Virginians. His great-grandfather,
Conrad Smith was, a soldier in the army of Virginia in the colonial days under
Gov. Dunmore, and afterwarrds served for seven years in the army of the
revolution under Gen. Washington, being present at the surrender of Cornwallis
at Yorktown. His father was steamboat man on the Western and Southern rivers. He
was educated at Franklin College, Ind., where he took a two years' course; but
his education was more pratical than scientific, acquired chiefly from personal
observation. He began the study of law at Pomeroy, Ohio, in 1865, but his course
was intermitted by school teaching, so that he was not admitted to the bar
of the Common Pleas Court of Jennings county, Ind., until 1867, having left Ohio
and settled in Indiana after he commenced the study of law. He followed the law
as a profession in Jennings county untill 1884, when he was elected by the
Democratic party as State Senator for the counties of Jennings and Jackson. At
the session of the Indiana Senate for 1885-86, he was chairman of the committee
on Enrolled Bills, and also a member of both the Judiciary and Committee on
Enrolled Bills, and also a member of both the Judiciary and Committee on
Banking. At the close of the session of 1885, he was nominated for President of
the Senate by the Democratic causus over Senators Weir and Sellers, and at the
session of 1887-88, made the most notable contest known in the political history
of Indiana for Lieutenant-Governor and President of the Senate, against Col.
R.S. Robinson, Republican, who chaimed to have been elected by the people. Mr.
Smith triumphed in this contest, thus securing the election of Hon. David Turpie
to the Senate of the United States. In 1888, Mr. Smith was a candidate for the
Democratic nomination for Attorney-General, but was defeated by reason of the
late hour in the canvass at which he came out. In January, 1879, he was united
in marriage to Miss Ida J. Shellenberger, of North Vernon, and two
children-Florence and David Turpie-bless the union. In the notable political
campaign of 1888 for the Presidency, Hon. Greene L. Smith made an effective
canvass of Indiana for the re-election of Mr. Cleveland. Mr. Smith is a member
of the Knights of Pythias.
