240                 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

virtues of the Christian religion in his daily walk by adopting and prac-
ticing, as his cardinal article of faith, the Golden Rule. While yet a
young man, before leaving the state of Ohio, he identified himself with
the Lutheran church.
    In the summer of 1880, by accident, he fell from a cherry-tree, his
nervous system suffering a shock from which he never recovered. On
the 16th of April, 1882, he was stricken with partial paralysis. Though
confined to his room and bed for two months, he bore all his afflictions
with heroic fortitude, all the while insisting that he was doing as well
as he had any reason for expecting, considering the attending circum-
stances. At no time during his sickness did he entertain any substantial
hope of recovery. When first stricken down he said to his wife that two
months’ time would determine the issues of life and death with him.
The convictions he entertained of his approaching dissolution did not
excite nor visibly affect him in the least. At all times when the subject
was mentioned by himself, the family or friends, he met it as calmly
and philosophically as though it were but an ordinary matter in the
affairs of everyday life.
    His death took place at his residence, at Bowling Green. Monday.
June 19, 1882, at 6:45 p. m, aged sixty-one years, one month and eleven
days; the funeral services and burial at Lancaster, Owen county.
Wednesday, June 21, were conducted conformably to his own request
and direction.

    Charles W. Bailey, a native of Virginia (now West Virginia), born
February 27, 1832, came to Clay county with the family in 1850, locating
on the farm, in Posey township, on which part of the town of Staunton
was built. He engaged in milling for the period of twelve years, then in
mining for the same length of time, when he located on the farm (less
than a mile west of Staunton) which he occupied all the remaining years
of his life. At the age of twenty-five he married Miss Ruth McKee,
August 20, 1857, who survives him. Recognized as a safe man, in every
way worthy of the public confidence, he was elected trustee of Posey
township in the spring of 1867, and re-elected in the spring of 1868, serv-
ing two terms of one year. In 1869 he was elected justice of the peace,
and re-elected in 1873, serving two full terms of four years. In 1884 he
was nominated on the Democratic county ticket for representative, and
elected, serving at the session of 1885.
    For half a century or more “Welt” Bailey, as he was familiarly
called, was a prominent character in Posey township, socially and polit-
ically, enjoying the respect and confidence of all his fellow-citizens. He
died May 15, 1908, aged seventy-six years two months and eighteen days.

    James M. Lucas, a native of Clermont county, Ohio, born March
24, 1816, entered a store in his youth as clerk, at Bethel, in his native
county. He came to Indiana in 1834, at the age of eighteen years, stop-
ping at Salem, Washington county, where he took a position in Newland
& Thomas’ drug store and read medicine. He assisted in organizing an
engineering corps in 1837, which worked on the internal improvements
then being made by the state between Greenville and Blue river. In 1838
he started the Washington Democrat, the first paper printed and published
in the town, which he sold out a year later, when he was elected door-
keeper of the house of representatives at the session of 1839-1840, receiv-