Carroll-Allen County IN Archives Biographies.....Armitage, John S. 1825 - 
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Author: John C. Odell (1916)

JOHN S. ARMITAGE.

   The oldest man living in Carroll county, Indiana, is the venerable John S.
Armitage, a veteran of the Mexican War, a "Forty-niner" in the gold fields of
California, a land dealer, a mill owner and druggist in this county. For some
years, however, he has been living retired in the city near which his father was
a canal contractor more than three-quarters of a century ago. Years ago,
although he was not favored by inherited wealth or the assistance of powerful
friends, he, by perseverance, industry and careful economy, attained to a
comfortable station in life and is now well provided for in his declining years.
There are very few veterans of the Mexican War now living in this country and
fewer still living in the state of Indiana. It is an honor, therefore, that
Carroll county can count among its citizens this noble man, who served a year in
that war.

   John S. Armitage, a native of Pennsylvania, was born on September 19, 1825,
and is the son of Valerius and Mary (Hewitt) Armitage. The latter died when John
S. was a mere child and his father, who had made an initial trip to the Hoosier
state in 1830, brought his family overland to Indiana in 1836, at the time when
the contracts were being let for the construction of the canal at Ft. Wayne. The
family made the trip from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to Pittsburgh on a canal boat
and from Pittsburgh, by boat, to Ft. Wayne. Valerius Armitage was a canal
contractor and died while the canal was in progress of construction in 1838. He
was an ardent Democrat, a disciple of Andrew Jackson and Thomas Jefferson. He
was the father of five children, of whom, Theodore and George are deceased; Mary
Jane was the wife of Robert H. Milroy, of Delphi, but both are deceased; John
S., the subject of this sketch, and Valerius, Jr.

   Prior to attaining his eighteenth birthday, John S. Armitage worked for D. B.
Preston, of Logansport, learning the tailoring trade. At the outbreak of the
Mexican War, he joined the First Indiana Regiment and served one year under Col.
James P. Drake. After being mustered out at New Orleans, he came by boat to
Cincinnati and then to Logansport overland. He again took up the tailoring trade
until 1849, when he was attracted by the rush to the gold fields of California.
He made the journey overland by horseback and, during the five years that he
prospected on the Pacific coast, was very successful. He then came back to
Delphi and engaged in the land business. Subsequently, he operated a paper-mill
and then bought a drug store, which he conducted for eight years. In all of
these business ventures, he was more than ordinarily successful.

   The venerable John S. Armitage was twice married, first to Emma J. Daubney,
in 1855. She died one year later, leaving one child, Emma W., who died at the
age of five months. He was subsequently married to Mrs. J. Burns, but no
children were born to this union.

   Mr. Armitage owns a great deal of town property in Delphi and is now living
retired. He is well preserved for a man of ninety years and is thoroughly
capable of participating in the business of the day. He is well informed upon
all current questions and is an intelligent and interesting conversationalist.
All of his life, John S. Armitage has been identified with the Democratic party.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Biographical Section of
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY INDIANA

ITS PEOPLE, INDUSTRIES AND INSTITUTIONS
BY
JOHN C ODELL
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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