58  HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

teaching at the age of seventeen years, and taught school nine winter
terms. He was afterwards successfully employed in farming, until 1896,
when he accepted a position as clerk in a shoe store at Clay City, a
position that he retained four years, when he embarked in the shoe busi-
ness on his own account, continuing another four years. Since that time
Mr. Bence has been actively associated with the lumber business, and
when the Clay City Lumber Company was organized in 1905 became offi-
cially connected with it in his present capacity of secretary, treasurer and
general manager.
    In 1901 Mr. Bence married Janie May Belle Robertson. She was
born April 15, 1873, in Jackson township, Clay county, Indiana, a
daughter of Ethan A. and Elizabeth (Witty) Robertson. Mr. and Mrs.
Bence have one child, Sarah Elizabeth. Politically Mr. Bence is a Repub-
lican, and is now serving as clerk and treasurer of the village of Clay
City. Fraternally he belongs to Clay City Lodge, No. 562, A. F. & A. M.,
and to Clay City Lodge. No. 131, K. of P. Religiously he assists in sup-
porting the Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mrs. Bence is a valued
member.

    DAVIS TAYLOR CROMWELL.—Conspicuous among the active and thriv-
ing business men of Clay City is Davis Taylor Cromwell, a well-known
and prosperous farmer, merchant and real estate dealer. A native of Clay
county, Indiana, he was born August 18, 1846, in Washington township,
a son of the late Owen Doyle Cromwell. He comes from distinguished
ancestry, being a lineal descendant of Oliver Cromwell, the Protector.
    Oliver Cromwell had two sons, Richard and Henry. The latter
removed to Ireland, where his son Thomas Ireton, the next in line of
descent was born. Thomas I. Cromwell emigrated from Ireland to Amer-
ica and settled in Maryland, where his children were born and reared.
One of his sons, William Lewis, migrated from Maryland to Kentucky
when a young man, and there spent the remainder of his days. His son,
Nicholas G. Cromwell, the grandfather of Davis Taylor Cromwell, of
whom we write, was born, reared and educated in Kentucky. Coming
from there to Indiana in 1825, he became one of the first settlers of Clay
county. Taking up government land, he cleared and improved a good
farm, which he subsequently occupied until his death. He was a man of
strong individuality, prominent and influential in public affairs, and for
two terms served as associate circuit judge of Clay county.

    Born in Kentucky, Owen Doyle Cromwell was a lad of but nine
years when he came with his parents to this county. Reared among pio-
neer scenes, he began as soon as able to assist his father in the arduous
task of hewing a farm from the dense forest, remaining beneath the
parental roof-tree until his marriage, he then settled on a farm belonging
to his father—in—law, Mr. Risley, and met with such good success in its
management that he subsequently bought the place, and was there em-
ployed in general farming until his death, which occurred December 9,
1877. He married, in 1837, Huldah (Parsons) Risley, a daughter of Sam-
uel and Polly (Thomas) Risley. She was born in Knox county, Indiana,
March 24, 1817, and died in Clay county January 1, 1892. She reared
ten children, namely Samuel T., Polly Ann. Nicholas M., Ann M.,
Sarah C., David Taylor, Drusilla E., Huldah A.. John J. and James C.
One child, Charles 0., the ninth in order of birth, died at the age of
five years. On the maternal side of Mrs. Cromwell we find that David