Biography of William H. Hershey, Tippecanoe County, Indiana

William H. Hershey, of Perry township, Tippecanoe county, Indiana, is a representative of one of the pioneer families of this county, and is ranked as one of its substantial and highly respected citizens.

Jacob Hershey, the grandfather of William H., was born in Maryland, the son of German parents. He was a farmer, owned a good farm and a comfortable home, and reared a large and highly respected family. His children were John, Henry, Joseph M., Quincy, Catherine, Mrs. Gardner, Mrs. Carson, Mrs. Specard, Mrs. Reader, Mrs. Horner, Jacob and Hannah. The last named died in Maryland. Grandfather Hershey was blind for many years before his death.

Joseph M. Hershey, son of Jacob and father of William H., was born in Washington county, Maryland, where he grew up, and when a young man learned the trade of potter. He was married in his native state, June 18, 1833, to Maria Witter, and to them were born a large family of children, five of wom died young. Of the others we record that the eldest was born in Washington county, Maryland, and the others in Tippecanoe county, Indiana, their names and dates of birth being as follows: Lorena C., born June 28, 1834; Frances M., February 13, 1839; William H., February 6, 1841; Indiana C., February 27, 1845; Lafayette G., February 13, 1850, died at the age of sixteen years; David C., September 13, 1852; and Laura C., October 24, 1854. In 1834 Mr. Hershey, accompanied by his wife and their first born, made the journey to Indiana in a two-wheeled vehicle called a gig. He had previously purchased land in Tippecanoe county, consisting of one hundred and eighty-four acres, in section 16, Perry township, covered with a dense forest and with no improvements whatever. He cleared his land, erected substantial and comfortable buildings for those times, and in time purchased additional land, making a fine farm of four hundred and twenty-four acres. Here he lived and prospered, and was well known both as a farmer and minister. He had joined the United Brethren church when a very young man, and began to preach the gospel when about nineteen years old. As one of the pioneer ministers of his church in Tippecanoe county he was a potent factor for good, and it was largely through his efforts that the United Brethren church was established here. He was also one of the founders of the St. Joseph conference. He preached all over northern Indiana, making his trips on horseback, and was one of the best known of the pioneer ministers of his denomination. In 1871 he moved to Dayton, Indiana, and there made his home. His first wife died February 3, 1875, and for his second wife he married Mrs. Arbelia Markwood, widow of Bishop Markwood, of the United Brethren church. In 1877 Mr. Hershey went to Virginia, where he lived one year, there continuing his ministerial work, and at the end of that time returned to Indiana. He afterward made several trips to Virginia. His first work in the ministry was as a circuit rider in Maryland and Virginia, that being before he first came to Indiana, and both in the east and in pioneer Indiana his earnest efforts were crowned with success. Politically, he was in early life an old-line Whig. Later he identified himself with the Republican party, and was a strong Union man. He was twice elected to the Indiana state legislature, in 1863 and 1865, and as a member of that honorable body discharged his duties with much ability and credit to himself and his constituents. In all matters he was a man whose judgment was much respected by the people, and in various ways his history was closely linked with that of Tippecanoe county. For eight years he was a justice of the peace in Perry township, and he was a member of the board of county commissioners three years.

William H. Hershey, the immediate subject of this review, as already stated, is a native of the " Hoosier" state, and was ushered into life February 6, 1841. His early education was received in one of the primitive log school-houses of Perry township, Tippecanoe county, and he was brought up a farmer. August 10, 1862, he enlisted, at Lafayette, Indiana, as a private in Captain Charles A. Maylor's company, the Sixteenth Light Artillery, for three years or during the war, and was honorably discharged at Indianapolis, Indiana, July 7, 1865, on account of the war being over. His services were mostly on the fortifications of Washington. During his service he escaped wounds, was sick and in hospital only a short time, and made a record as a brave, true soldier.

He is one of the few men now living who were in Ford's theater, Washington, when John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln. He was attending the play with four of his comrades, and his seat was in the front row of orchestra chairs, nothing between him and the stage. He saw the president and party enter and seat themselves in the box. The play ceased and the band played " The Star Spangled Banner " in his honor. The president's box was at the right of Mr. Hershey and in plain view. Mr. Hershey saw Booth between the scenes as he came on the stage, looking through a door. Soon afterward he heard the shot, and, looking toward the president's box, saw Booth rush around the president and jump from the box. His spur caught in the flag which draped the president's box, and he fell. Major Rathburn, who was in the president's box, seized Booth by the arm; Booth struck the major across the hand with a knife, and, springing to the stage, exclaimed " Sic semper tyrannis" and fled through the scenery without facing the audience or making any stop. The cry, " The President is assassinated! " immediately arose and the audience began to rush out. Mr. Hershey passed out as the guards were bearing the president down the stairs, and was near enough to touch him. The scene is indelibly impressed upon his mind. The excitement was tremendous. Mr. Hershey, being stationed at Arlington Heights, well knew that the bridge would be closed to travel to prevent the escape of the assassin. He and his comrades made haste to cross the Georgetown bridge; the command to halt everyone reached the guards, and he and his companions were the last to cross over that night. After the war Mr. Hershey returned to Tippecanoe county and resumed farming, and has been interested in farming operations ever since. He owns the Hershey homestead, two hundred and fifty acres, which, under his management, has been greatly improved. For some time past, however, he has resided in Dayton.