76                      HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

ship. June 20, 1861, and on the 12th of October, 1882, he was married
to Eva Romas, who was born in Posey township but reared in Perry
township, her father, Michael Romas, having been one of the early settlers
of the former community, The four children of Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman
—Anna, Effie, Edna and Dora—were also born on the Hoffman home-
stead. which makes three generations of this family who have had their
nativity on this farm. Mr. Hoffman now owns one hundred and sixty-
six acres of this valuable old place, and in addition has eighty acres else-
where in the township and one hundred and ten acres in Perry township.
His politics are Democratic and he is quite an active worker in the party
cause. He is a member of the Lutheran church.

    JACOB H. STOUGH.—Jacob H. Stough has been an active factor in
the affairs of this community for many years, but he is now living retired
from active labor with the exception of superintending Cottage Hill
cemetery, which is located on the old family homestead. He was born
in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, November 13, 1845, a son of
Joseph and Elizabeth (Frick) Stough, natives of Pennsylvania, and a
grandson of John Frick, of German parentage. Joseph Stough was a
farmer in Pennsylvania, but in 1851 moved to Tuscarawas county, Ohio,
and lived there until the spring of 1856. He then traveled with team
and wagon to Lancaster, Owen county, Indiana, and in September of
1856 came to Clay county, Indiana, and purchased in Posey township two
tracts of improved land, consisting of ninety-two and eighty acres each.
He lived on this place until his death. He was born in 1807 and died in
January, 1893, while Mrs. Stough was born in 1810 and died in 1884.
    There were three sons and three daughters in their family that
attained to years of maturity, and Jacob H. Stough was the fourth born.
He received his educational training in select and high schools in Brazil,
and in 1872 became identified with the ice business here, which he sold in
1893. He has served as the superintendent of Cottage Hill cemetery since
1876, and from July 1, 1893, until September, 1897, was the assistant post-
master of Brazil. During one year he was also the proprietor of a music
and book store in this city, and was substitute mailing clerk of Brazil for
years, serving both as assistant postmaster and mailing clerk during
Cleveland’s second term of office. Mr. Stough inherited part of the home
farm of his father in Posey township, Clay county, in connection with
two brothers, John and Joseph, and the land was worked by two of the
brothers until 1898, when they rented the farm, and Mr. Jacob H. Stough
has since lived retired, save to superintend the cemetery.
    He married, September 12, 1881, Minnie F. Curl, born in Paris,
Illinois, in August, 1859, a daughter of Jeremiah and Sarah Curl, natives
of Ohio. The four children of this union are Grace May, Ralph A.,
Lester W. and Helen Marie, Mr. Stough is a Mason, belonging to the
blue lodge, chapter and council.

    MELBOURNE C. LANNING, present treasurer of Clay county, Indiana,
was born in Pearson township, Vigo county, Indiana, May 22, 1868, son
of Ewing and Elizabeth (Pierson) Lanning, The father was born in
Clay county, Indiana. July 14, 1838, and died March 20, 1892. The
mother was born in Sullivan county, Indiana, December 29, 1841, and
died August, 1879. This worthy couple were married in Sullivan county
and were the parents of six children, two of whom still survive: Mel-