HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                      159

tian College and as a teacher in the country schools of Clay and
Putnam counties, During his college course he taught in these counties
alternately until 1878, when he graduated from the Union institution
with the degree of M. S.
    Dr. Finley first assumed his professional studies with Dr. R. H.
Culbertson, of Brazil, and in 1881 graduated from the Medical College
of Indiana, at once settling at Harmony for practice. There he remained
for eighteen years, and in 1898 commenced his career at Brazil. He
has been an active member of the Clay County Medical Society since its
organization in 1885 and is also identified with the state and national
bodies, having served as a representative to the national meetings of the
American Medical Association at Milwaukee (1893), Baltimore (1897)
and Portland (1905). At these and other stated meetings he has pre-
sented papers which have been published in the regular transactions, and
is a familiar contributor to the standard literature of his profession.

    JACOB F. HOUSER.—The name of Jacob F. Houser is prominently
connected with the industrial interests of Turner, where he has been the
proprietor of a general mercantile store since the 11th of September,
1899, and also with its public life, for since 1904 he has served the town
as its postmaster. He has been identified with the interests of Turner
since marrying and starting in life for himself, and the first seventeen
years of his business career was spent in the employ of the Ehrlick Coal
Company.
    Mr. Houser was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, January 1, 1850,
a son of George and Mary (Whitmyer) Houser. The mother was born
and reared in Ohio, and was of Pennsylvania Dutch parentage. The
father was born in Germany October 26, 1818, and was but fourteen
years of age when he came to the United States and located in Ohio,
where he was married and remained until 1854, in that year coming to
Indiana and locating in Owen county. In 1858 he moved to Clay county
and became the owner of a farm near Bowling Green in Washington
township. On the 2d of August, 1862, he enlisted in the Eighty-fifth
Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Company I, and served for one year in the
Civil war, He was wounded in action which terminated his service, and
he returned to his home and family in Clay county. He voted with the
Democracy before the war, and afterward was a Republican. His death
occurred at the age of fifty-six years and six months. Mr. and Mrs.
Houser had ten children, four sons and six daughters, and eight of the
number grew to years of maturity, and four are now living. All but
two of the number were educated in the schools of Clay county.
    Jacob F. Houser, the third child and second son, attended the dis-
trict schools of Washington township, and on the 22d of July, 1879, in
Sugar Ridge township, he was married to Anna M. Tribble, who was
born near Bowling Green in Clay county, and was reared and educated
in Sugar Ridge township and at Staunton, a daughter of William and
Charlotte (Sparks) Tribble, prominent early settlers of Washington
township. Ten children have also been born of this union—William
Frederick, Callie M., Walter, Ross W., Ethel, Ira Lee, Harry, Clarence,
Georgia and Inez, all of whom were born and reared in Posey township,
but five of the number, Walter, Ross W., Ethel, Harry and Inez, are
deceased. Mr. Houser votes with the Prohibition party, and fraternally

Vol. II-11