294                 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

the legislation necessary to enable county treasurers to more promptly
and efficiently collect delinquent taxes.

    Ananias W. Lowdermilk, native of North Carolina, born in Randolph
county, January 28, 1821; came with his parents to Clay county in his
boyhood, the family locating in Jackson township, where he helped clear
up and provide a homestead. At the age of twenty-three years he pro-
cured the position of route agent on the New Albany & Salem (now the
Monon) Railroad, running between New Albany and Lafayette. While
at home on a few days’ vacation he was taken out on the night of the 23d
of September, 1854, by the so-styled “regulators,” (said to have been
masked) and lynched in a grove of scrub-oak timber near the present resi-
dence of Mark Parkins, west of Prairie City. At an early hour Sunday
morning he called at the residence of Mrs. Robertson, mother of T. M.
Robertson, of Brazil, who lived on the road a half mile south of what is
now Prairie City, his plight in evidence of the treatment to which he had
been subjected, without hat, coat or vest. He ate breakfast with the Rob-
ertson family and related to them what had taken place. After his leav-
ing to go back to his home a party of several of the immediate neighbors
went from the Robertson place to the scene of the violence perpetrated,
as reported, finding the missing clothing at the foot of a tree, and observ-
ing that the g.round had been well tramped over, with evidence of horses
having been tied up to small trees. What cause or excuse the mob had,
if any, for this act of lawlessness and inhumanity, seems to have passed
from memory, if ever known.
    Subsequently, having read law, when the town of Ashboro was
founded as the prospective county-seat, he was one of the first to buy
ground within the plat and build, with the view to engage regularly in
the practice. On the death of County Treasurer Elias Helton, November
30, 1860, Mr. Lowdermilk was appointed by the board of county commis-
sioners to fill out the unexpired term. He was one of the early teachers
in the public schools of Jackson township, and for a number of years a
member of the fraternity known as Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
in which he bad attained the fifth degree, held the rank of past grand,
had served a term as presiding officer and had represented his lodge in
the grand lodge of the state of Indiana. He died on the last day of the
month of December and last day of the year 1871, aged fifty years and
three days.

    George Ringo, native of Kentucky, born in Henry county, December
19, 1819, son of Major and Elizabeth (Bryant) Ringo; came with the
family to Clay county in 1833, when this part of the state was compar-
atively a wilderness. With the meager opportunities afforded, coupled
with studiousness and the ambition to succeed, he obtained sufficient edu-
cation to start in life for himself at the age of twenty-one. On the 15th
day of April, 1841, he married Amanda Beatty, who died August 20, 1856,
aged 36, leaving eight children—four sons and four daughters. On the
22d day of October, 1857, he married Judith Modesitt, daughter of
Brooks and Nancy Modesitt, who were of the oldest settlers. By habits
of economy and industry and the aid of a helpful family, he acquired, in
time, a large acreage of land and became one of the foremost farmers
and citizens of the township. In the early history of the county he served
as justice of the peace. He was also a memher of the hoard of three