HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                      271

which position he was also elected the succeeding year. The firm of
Wheeler; Bridges & Co. having sold out in 1879, he retired from business
pursuits. Mr. Bridges was a conservative, competent and safe public
servant in any capacity. The three ruling characteristics of the man were
self-possession, deliberation and decision. Religiously, he has been a life-
long Methodist, having been a constant patron and reader of the “West-
ern Christian Advocate” for more than half a century. His father was
one of the most earnest, sincere and trusted pioneer ministers of thesame
faith, and a son, Albert F. Bridges, now of Colorado Springs, licensed to
preach at only sixteen years of age; at whose home the father and mother
celebrated their golden wedding anniversary, September 5, 1900. Mrs.
Lucinda Bridges died June 11, 1905, aged 75 years. After a residence of
fifty-six years in Clay county, Mr. Bridges disposed of his property in-
terests here, and on the 21st day of May, 1906, left the city of Brazil for
Tacoma, Washington, to make his home with his daughter, Mrs. Stoten-
bur.

    Peter T. Luther, a native of Clay county, son of William and Char-
lotte (Stroud) Luther, born in Harrison township, October 18, 1844, the
only survivor of a family of eleven children. William Luther was a native
of North Carolina, born in Randolph county, October 27, 1804, his wife
a native of Crawford county, Indiana. About the year 1828 they came
to Clay county. The family homestead was on the old Bowling Green,
Middlebury road, now owned by George V. Goshorn. At nineteen years
of age, having attended the public schools and made the best of his op-
portunities, the subject of this sketch began teaching. The first place at
which he taught was then and is still known as the Cole school. After
teaching several terms he attended the State University, at Bloomington.
In 1866 he was nominated by the Democratic party for county surveyor,
and elected, serving two years, meanwhile teaching during the winter sea-
son. In 1868 he was placed on the county ticket for recorder and elected,
serving the term of four years. In 1872 he was nominated for clerk of the
Clay circuit court, but was defeated in the election, the whole Democratic
county ticket having been beaten in the campaign. of that year, the first
time in the history of the county. After retiring from the recorder’s office
he formed a law partnership with Samuel M. McGregor, at Bowling
Green, which continued until the spring of 1874, when, in company with
A. J. Montgomery, he purchased the Archives office, and began publica-
tion of the Clay County Herald. In the early part of the year 1875 the
Clay Publishing Association was organized, composed of Thomas J.
Gray, A. J. Montgomery and himself, buying the Brazil Weekly Echo,
consolidating the interests of the two papers, the association conducting
both of them. Two years later, having retired from the printing office,
he accepted the deputyship in the office of clerk of the Clay circuit court,
with Clerk Kilmer, and on quitting this position accepted that of office
deputy, with Sheriff Jacob Baumunk, during his term of two years, from
October, 1878, to October, 1880. Again, he resumed the law and engaged
in the abstracting of titles in company with ex-Recorder L. J. Bowman.
On the retirement of Bowman, in 1882, he associated with Charles E.
Matson in the practice of law, abstracting of titles and real estate, under
the firm name of Matson & Luther. This partnership existed until the
latter part of the year 1899, a period of seventeen years. Following its
dissolution Mr. Luther associated with him his son, William P. Luther,