HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                          223


on what was afterward known for many years as the George W. Wiltse
place, a little distance west of Middlebury, but my earliest recollections
of my surroundings are of the things that dawned upon me when my
parents lived on the old rambling road just east of where Philip Kittle’s
wife (now Mrs. Sinders) lives. From this place we moved into Eel
river bottom, about half a mile north of the new house recently built by
Douglas Cooprider, where we lived until the spring of 1876, having been
there at the time of the flood of 1875, but were not in the house at the
time of highest water mark, when there was about twelve inches of water
on the floor. During the bleak days of March, 1876, we left the bottom
and moved into a large log structure with pen-houses on two sides, mak-
ing four rooms, all told, on the site of the present John Brothers’ resi-
dence. near the Horton school house, as it then stood. In and around
this place and the neighborhood (generally the neighborhood) I roved,
and ran, and yelled, all the waking moments of my boyhood days. I went
to school in that old house which stood near by, where I experienced the
troubles and vexatious belonging to that age, where, too, I had the honor
of attending one term, taught by William Travis, from whom I received
my first lessons in English grammar and American history, the first of
which I learned to apply fairly well, with an ardent passion for the lat-
ter. I never tired of reading the stories of our heroes, and, later on,
became much interested in the political affairs of the country. At this
same old house I taught my first term of school in the winter of 1882-3,
my second and third terms at the Duncan schoolhouse. At the close of
my third term, in the spring of 1885, I married Ida Sutton, daughter of
Hamilton and Amanda Sutton. I next taught the Hubbell school, over in
the border of Owen county. In the winter of 1886-7 I taught a short
term in Newton county. I entered the State Normal in the spring of
1883 and attended the spring term for several years, then finished the
course in the year 1890. After graduation I taught a term at Odon,
Daviess county, and my last term in my native state, at Middlebury, in
the winter of 1893-4. In the spring following this term I left Middle-
bury and moved to Brazil, where I formed a partnership with 0. T.
Cailor in the practice of law. My wife’s health having failed, in the
spring of 1896 I broke all bonds (excepting the marital) and went to
Phoenix, Arizona, where I taught for four years—one year in the coun-
try, one year as principal of the Phoenix grammar school, one year as
department teacher in the Phoenix high school, and one term as instructor
in mathematics in the Territorial Normal School. This ended my career
in the school-room. In the fall of 1900 I came to California and spent
the fall and winter at Stanford, graduating in 1901, when I moved with
my family to Anaheim, where I now live. On coming here I entered
upon the practice of the law, and in the fall of 1902, 0. T. Cailor having
also located here, we formed a partnership, which still exists. I have
had two children—Bernice and Syril—the former dying in the fall of
1906. I have been blessed with more than ordinary health and my wife
has grown stronger since we came west, in 1896.”

    Josiah and Robert Tipton, natives of Ohio, born in Coshocton
county, in the years 1845 and 1847, respectively, sons of William and
Catharine (Van Horn) Tipton, also natives of the Buckeye state, the
family coming to Clay county, Indiana, in 1852, locating in Harrison
township, on the farm a mile and a half southeast of Middlebury, which