Bartholomew County IN Archives Biographies.....Bozell, Thomas 1829 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 24, 2007, 12:56 am Author: B. F. Bowen (1904) THOMAS BOZELL. Thomas Bozell has passed the psalmist's span of three score years and ten, having reached the seventy-fifth milestone on life's journey. He was born on the 23d of February, 1829, in German township, Bartholomew county, and on the farm where he still makes his home. He is undoubtedly one of the oldest native sons of this locality and his mind forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present. Few indeed are the representatives of Bartholomew county who have been eye witnesses of the changes here for so long a period. He can remember when almost the entire county was unimproved and its land still in possession of the government, when its streams were unbridged, its forests uncut and its fields untilled. He has been particularly active in the line of improving the wild land, for throughout his entire life he has carried on agricultural pursuits and has aided largely in making this one of the richest farming districts of the Mississippi valley. Mr. Bozell is the son of John and Elizabeth (McGill) Bozell. The father was a native of Ohio, as was the mother, probably. They came to Indiana at a very early period in its development; in fact Bartholomew county was then upon the frontier and gave little promise of future progress, but Mr. Bozell bravely faced the conditions of pioneer life in order that he might establish a home for himself and family. He entered from the government one hundred and sixty acres of land and began the development and improvement of his farm, but died during the early boyhood of his son Thomas. He gave his political support to the Whig party. There were in his life many strong and admirable characteristics and he enjoyed the high regard of all with whom he was associated. In his family were eight children: William, who married Emorine McCoy, and died in Texas; James, who was in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, but is now deceased; Joseph, who was a well known trader and business man of Bartholomew county, but is dead; Thomas, of this review; Henry A., who died when a young man; John, who married Elizabeth Weekley and is a farmer living near Jonesville; George, who died in youth; Lucinda, who married John Repp, and they are both deceased; Rebecca, who married Robert Harris, a farmer of Bartholomew county, but both are also deceased. Thomas Bozell was reared upon the home farm amid the conditions and surroundings of pioneer life and with the family endured many of the hardships incident to the establishment of a home upon the frontier. His educational privileges were limited, but by experience and observation he has added much to his knowledge, gaining in that way a sound practical education. In his early youth he assisted in the labors of the home farm, early becoming familiar with the work of field and meadow and throughout his entire life he has carried on the same occupation. In 1852 Mr. Bozell was united in marriage to Miss Drusilla Harris, a daughter of Garrett and Elizabeth (Halfacre) Harris, both of whom were natives of Virginia, the former born in 1792, and the latter in 1799. Removing westward, they became residents of Bartholomew county, Indiana, in 1833, when Drusilla was one year old, establishing their home in German township, where they continued to live until called to their final rest. The mother passed away when Drusilla was five years old and the father survived her for about thirty years. Mr. Harris was the owner of a tract of one hundred and sixty acres which was placed under a high state of cultivation, thus developing a good farm. His political support was given to the Republican party. Unto him and his wife were born seven children: Patsy, who is now the wife of Anderson Wolf, a farmer residing at Sullivan, Illinois; Robert, who married Rebecca Bozell, but both are deceased; Amanda J., who became the wife of Thomas Brown, but both are deceased; Mary became the wife of Henry Pickens, but is deceased; Drusilla; Nathaniel, who married Lillian Runyon, of Pulaski county, Indiana; and Charles, who married Jane Brown. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Bozell has been blessed with eleven children: Clementine is the wife of Jack Duncan, of southern Illinois; James married Mary Hunt and is a farmer of Moultrie county, Illinois; Clinton married Olive Duncan and is a farmer of Moultrie county, Illinois; Martha married Jacob Steinbarger, but is now the wife of Rev. William Freeman, of Brown county, Indiana; Charles wedded Alice Breeding, and is on the old homestead; Laura is now the wife of Charles Pence, also on part of the homestead; Jackson died in childhood; Mollie is the deceased wife of William Duncan; Jennie is the wife of Charles Ziegler, and Alexander, who is at home with his parents. The home farm of Thomas Bozell, upon which he has always lived, comprises one hundred and sixty acres of rich farming land and nearly twenty-five acres of timber land. He has cleared much of his property and has made all of the improvements upon it, transforming it into an excellent farm, neat and thrifty in appearance and giving evidence of the careful supervision of the practical and progressive owner. All that he possesses he has acquired through his own labors and he may well be called a self-made man. In his political views he is a Democrat and he belongs to the Christian church, which has been his guide through many years, his life being moulded in harmony with its teachings. Mr. Bozell can relate many interesting incidents concerning the early days in this county. He has seen the work of improvement carried on until the county today bears little resemblance to the district in which he lived in his youth. Now on all sides are seen rich farms and here and there are thriving towns, villages and cities, and all of the comforts and conveniences known to the older east have been introduced. Whatever has pertained to the welfare of his community has solicited his interest and in many measures for the general good he has co-operated. Additional Comments: Extracted from BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY INDIANA INCLUDING BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF INDIANA ILLUSTRATED 1904 B. F. Bowen PUBLISHER File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/bartholomew/bios/bozell841gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 6.8 Kb