Merl Chenoweth  in his career has been an educator, banker and merchant, and during most of his active life has lived in Randolph County. He was born in Wayne County, Indiana, March 6, 1873, son of  Samuel B. and Carrie (Bowen) Chenoweth, both natives of Indiana, and grandson of  John B. Chenoweth. His maternal grandparents were  Squire and Elizabeth (Dwiggins) Bowen, the former a native of Greene County, Ohio, and the latter of Wayne County, Indiana.  Squire Bowen was a son of  Ephraim and Hannah (Hale) Bowen, natives of Pennsylvania, who from Ohio in 1814 came to Eastern Indiana and comprised the fourth family of settlers in Randolph County. The father of Ephraim Bowen was a Revolutionary soldier. Mr. Chenoweth's father, Samuel B. Chenoweth, was born in 1845, while his mother was born in 1850. After their marriage they settled on a farm in Wayne County, later moving to a farm in Green Fork Township in Randolph County.  Men Chenoweth was reared on a farm, and after the common schools attended the Central Indiana Normal College at Danville, and in 1897 completed the scientific course in Valparaiso University.  His teaching experience covered a period of eight years, and after graduating at Valparaiso he served five years as superintendent of the Green Fork High School.  Mr. Chenoweth in 1902 established a bank at Gaston, Indiana, conducting it for seven and a half years.  On locating at Winchester he organized the bond department of the People's Loan & Trust Company, and served as manager of that department until 1923, when the business was taken over by the People's Investment & Guaranty Company, with which Mr. Chenoweth still continues as the manager.  He is also president and director of the Randolph County Sales Agency, handling the Ford agency in Winchester.  Mr. Chenoweth married in 1896  Miss Altha Wise, who was born at Greenville, Ohio, daughter of  John C. and Elizabeth (Bowen) Wise.  Her father was born in Germany.  Her mother, a native of Randolph County, was a daughter of  Ephraim and Elizabeth Bowen. This Ephraim Bowen was a brother of Squire Bowen, grandfather of Mr. Chenoweth.  Mr. and Mrs. Chenoweth have two children.  Their son, Opie, is a research engineer, connected with the Wright Aviation Field at Dayton, Ohio. The daughter, Elizabeth Marie, is a student in Oberlin College in Ohio.  Mr. And Mrs. Chenoweth are Methodists.  He is a Republican, and by appointment he served three years in the office of mayor of Winchester.  He was the organizer of the Winchester Rotary Club.
Unidentified book.
Typed by Lora Radiches.