12                  HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

service in West  Virginia and was at the battle of Rich Mountain, Virginia
and participated in all the numerous skirmishes in which his regiment
was engaged. He returned to Brazil and worked at the carpentering trade
until the spring of 1862 when he re—enlisted in Company H. Fifty—fifth
Regiment, Indiana Volunteers for one hundred days: was on detached
duty and served as second leutenant. He made several trips up and down
the Ohio river to points in Kentucky. Under command of Colonel John
W. Foster, he was detailed while at Uniontown, Kentucky, to take a horse,
and was ordered to shoot the horse in case it was sought to be taken
from him but not to shoot the man who attempted his capture, He was
sent to that point to help preserve order at an election then being held
there. and later was stationed at Caseyville, Kentucky, under command
of Colonel Farrow, and his regiment left Caseyville the day before Colonel
Farrow surrendered to John Morgan. The regiment to which he belonged
took up their quarters in a tobacco warehouse, on the wharf, near a
gunboat in the river at Henderson, Kentucky. Mr. Kidd was returned
to Indianapolis where he was discharged in 1862. When he went into the
employ of Warren Ashley at making wheat fans at Crawfordsville.
There he worked in the shops summers and during the other months of
the year went on horseback collecting in Cass, Hendricks, Benton, Put-
nam, Owen and Clay counties. In the spring of 1865 he enlisted in Com-
pany K, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Indiana Regiment, as a sergeant.
Owing to the close of the war his regiment only got as far as Winchester,
Virginia. where they were discharged and had the pleasure of there
meeting many old school mates, including several who had served in the
Confederate army, while others had been in hiding in the mountains.
On his return home, he met his cousin, Robert Kidd, who had been in
the Southern army. After arriving at Brazil, Mr. Kidd formed a part—
nership with John Stough and Mark M. Perkins and together they erected
a shop on the corner of Meridian and Church streets which is today a
part of the building known as Stunkard Bros. carriage shops. After a
few months Mr. Perkins withdrew from the firm and then Mr. Kidd and
Mr. Stough continued the business for something less than two years,
after which Mr. Kidd followed carpentering until 1868 when he, with
John L. Webster, purchased the timber on a one hundred and twenty acre
lot in Parke county, to which land Mr. Kidd moved in March, 1869, living
in a one room log house. There they manufactured shingles for a few
months when they sold out and Mr. Kidd returned to Brazil, where
he operated a furniture store and chair factory a short time, after which
he manufactured barrels one winter. In the autumn of 1872 he went to
work for Sherfey Bros. and their various successors and finally he became
associated as one of the firm of Sherfey, Kidd & Co., dealers in furniture,
carpets and draperies.
    Mr. Kidd is a firm supporter of Republican principles and in church
faith is of the Christian denomination. November 15, 1868, he was united
in marriage to Arabelle Webster, born in Clay county, Indiana. October
15, 1854, daughter of John L. and Fannie (Brenton) Webster. Mrs.
Kidd's father was born in Franklin county, Virginia, and came to Clay
county with his parents when yet a small boy, he spent most of his life
in Clay county, except a few years at Indianapolis, He was a lumber
dealer and farmer and a very prominent citizen, He was a member of the
Christian church and affiliated with the Democratic party ; also with the