268                 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

worse than brutal and must be stopped at once,” he threw one arm about
the larger of the two, turned him about and led him away, at the same
time calling to his friend James W. Modesitt to take the other man in
charge. Then, at his command, they washed their faces, shook hands,
and mutually pledged future friendship.
    Amos W. Hedge died April 1, 1874, aged 77 years, 6 months and
15 days, his wife having died many years before.

    Nathan A. Gibbons, native of Virginia. born in Frederick county,
October 28, 1820, one of the thirteen children of Jacob and Mary Gib-
bons, of Scotch and German descent, respectively. The grandfather of
the subject of this biographical sketch was a Revolutionary soldier, and
the father a soldier of the war of 1812. The family emigrated from
 Virginia to Wayne county, Indiana, in 1836, where they stayed five years,
then came to Clay county, in 1841, and entered a quarter-section of land
in the southwest part of Jackson township, on Birch Creek, where the
father lived until his death, April 28, 1848, aged 72 years, the mother
surviving him until February 27, 1883, when she died at the ripe old
age of 91 years, 4 months and 23 days. On the 28th day of April, 1842,
he married Mary Hicks, who died September 13, 1876, survived by their
two sons and two daughters. On the 20th day of October, 1878, he
married Mrs. Maggie Nees, widow of Henry Nees, to whom was born
one daughter, who is Mrs. Ernest Duncan, of Brazil.
    In the winter of 1842 Mr. Gibbons taught a term of school in the
original log schoolhouse at the Zenor cemetery. Some years later he
was elected justice of the peace, serving four years, then declining a
re-election. He has been known all along through life as a man of equable
temper and temperate habits. For more than seventy years be has been
a member of the United Brethren church, which he has honored,as be
has society at large, by conforming his daily life and practice to his pro-
fession. He is a true type of that class of humanity denominated “the
salt of the earth.” In 1896 be quit the farm and comfortable family
homestead, a mile west of Center Point, and purchased a home at Brazil,
where he has since resided, now in his eighty-ninth year.

    Commodore Perry Eppert, a native of Clerniont county, Ohio, born
January 31, 1842; left an orphan in his childhood be was placed under
the care of a guardian. Ambitious to acquire an education, be was sent
to school, at times but scantily clothed, and had to earn the means for
providing his school books. At the age of seventeen he came to Clay
county, passed examination and was licensed to teach. In the winter of
1859-60 he taught his first school, at the Zenor school-house, making his
home with the Joseph Dial family, and taught again in Jackson township
the two succeeding winters. On the 6th day of August, 1862, be enlisted
in Captain T. M. Robertson’s Company, Sixth Indiana Cavalry, serving
during the war, and was discharged at Camp Chase, June 10, 1865. On
the 22d day of November, 1862, he married Miss Mary Bresler, of Jack-
son township. Returning home from the army, be located at Center
Point, where be resumed teaching and was also elected justice of the
peace. In the fall of 1870. having been employed to teach in the new
Meridian street school building, be moved his family to Brazil ; was first
assistant under Superintendent F. R. Smith two years, and in 1872 be-
came superintendent, in which position he taught two years. Later he