224                 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

    Although mixing very little in public affairs, Mr. Armstrong sup-
ports the principles of the Democratic party at the polls. Mrs. Arm-
strong, faithful to the religious belief in which she was reared, is a
member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which her parents be-
longed.

    SOLOMON REAM.—For more than half a century Solomon Ream has
been a resident of Harrison township, having come here in early life, at
a time when the cheapness of government land was a great inducement
to men anxious to secure a home for themselves and their descendants.
Cheap land did not mean a farm, but a tract of the virgin forest which
could be cleared by hard and persistent toil alone, the brave pioneer
woodsman in the meantime suffering trials, privations, and hardships
undreamed of by the present generation. During the time that be has
lived here, Mr. Ream has been an interested witness of the various
changes that have taken place, and has watched with pride and delight
the rapid transformation of the heavily timbered land into a rich and
productive agricultural country, he himself taking an active part in the
labor therein involved. A son of Peter Ream, he was born October 6,
1826, in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, and there spent his earlier
years.
    A native of Pennsylvania, as far as known, Peter Ream was
there a tiller of the soil until 1836, when be removed to Coshocton county,
Ohio. Buying forty acres of timbered land, he devoted his energies to
the clearing of a farm, remaining thus occupied until 1852, when he
again started westward, coming to Clay county, Indiana. Here be pur-
chased one hundred and twenty acres of land, a part of which had pre-
viously been cleared, and a set of log buildings had been erected. Con-
tinuing in his chosen occupation, he resided there until his death at the
age of seventy-two years. He married Catherine Seller, who was born
in Pennsylvania, and died on the home farm in Indiana. She reared
nine children, as follows: Samuel, Andrew, Solomon, Eve, Catherine,
Polly, Leah, Sarah and Barbara.
    Completing his early education in the public schools of his Ohio
home town, Solomon Ream remained there, busily employed, until 1853.
In that year he came to Indiana, and being especially pleased with Clay
county determined here to settle permanently. Therefore he bought on
section sixteen, Harrison township, forty acres of heavily timbered land,
on which he soon erected a hewed log house, after which be began in
earnest the improvement of a homestead. A man of indomitable resolu-
tion and perseverance, Mr. Ream met with excellent success in his untir-
ing efforts, and on the farm which he reclaimed from the primeval wil-
derness he has since resided. He has made wise investments of his
money, buying other land, and at one time owned one hundred and eighty-
seven acres in Harrison township, and one hundred and twenty acres just
over the line in Owen county. Retired from active labor, he is now spend-
ing the sunset years of his life surrounded by his children, like the patri-
arch of old, enjoying to the utmost the fruits of a well-spent life.
    Mr. Ream married, in 1861, Hannah Mischler, who was born in
Owen county, Indiana, of which her father, Emanuel Mischler, was a
pioneer settler. She died in July, 1878, leaving five children, namely:
James, Leah, David, Mollie and Samuel.