HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY	455

her first marriage Mrs. Rector had five children: Edwin; Claude, who
married Annie McCoy; Charles, died at the age of thirty-two years; Ger-
trude is the wife of George Honeycutt and has one child, George and
Maude, wife of Ross Singhurse, has one child, Lucille. After the death
of her first hushand Mrs. Rector sold all of her Kansas property and
returned to her girlhood’s home in Perry township, where she has since
resided. Mr. Rector is a stanch Republican and cast his first vote for
Lincoln. Mr. and Mrs. Rector are members of the United Brethren
church in Riley township, Vigo county, Indiana.

	Jacob NELSON GARD.—Especially deserving of more than passing
mention in this biographical volume is Jacob Nelson Gard, of Perry town-
ship, Clay county, who comes of honored pioneer stock, a man of sterling
integrity, a farmer of skill and ability, and who served during the Civil
War as one of the youngest soldiers in the Federal army. A son of the
late John H. Gard, he was born October 20, 1849, in Jackson township,
Owen county.
	Aaron Gard, grandfather of Jacob N., was one of the earlier pioneers
of Union county, Indiana, coming to this state while it was yet a terri-
tory. Taking up land in that county, he improved a farm and there
resided until his death. His wife was horn in Virginia and she survived
him, and spent her closing years at the home of her son, John H., in Owen
county.
	Born in Union county, Indiana, in 1821, John H. Gard was there
bred and educated. About 1845 he removed to Owen county, becoming an
early settler of Jackson township. Purchasing land that was in its primi-
tive condition, he cleared a space in the timber, and subsequently built the
log house in which his son Jacob was born. It was a substantial building,
made of hewed logs, and a part of it is still standing and is occupied.
Clearing and improving a homestead, he lived there until a short time
previous to his death, when he removed to the home of his son Jacob,
where his death occurred January 25, i888, at the age of sixty-seven years.
He married Phebe Nelson, who was born in Preble county, Ohio, in 1821,
and died in Clay county, Indiana, June. 25, 1906. She reared four children,
namely: Lorenzo D., Nancy J., Jacob Nelson and James Monroe.
	Before celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of his birth, Jacob N.
Gard, inspired by patriotic zeal and enthusiasm, enlisted, in 1864, in Com-
pany B, Ninety-seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and from that time
until the close of the war was in the thickest of the fight. With his regi-
ment he took part in Sherman’s campaign while on the way to Atlanta,
marched with that gallant hero and his troops to the sea, afterwards pass-
ing through the Carolinas and Virginia on to Washington, where he par-
ticipated in the Grand Review, and on June 9, 1865 was honorably dis-
charged with his regiment, all of this taking place before he was sixteen
years of age. Returning home, he remained with his parents until taking
upon himself the responsibilities of a married man. Going then to Craw-
ford county, Illinois, he bought a farm and resided there a year. Selling
out then, he returned to Indiana, and for a year resided in Owen county.
Buying then his present farm in Perry township, Mr. Gard has since been
here successfully employed in general farming and stock-raising. He
has made improvements of a noteworthy character on his place, having
erected good farm buildings, planted fruit and shade trees, and in other
ways added to the beauty and value of his estate.