HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                      479

further enhanced the beauty and value of his estate by planting shade and
fruit trees.
    On October 7, 1888, Mr. Neal married Mary Baughman, who was
born in Wright township, Greene county, Indiana, January 21, 1863, a
daughter of George W. and Emily (Larr) Baughman. Her parents were
both of German ancestry, and natives of Ohio. Coming from there to
Indiana in pioneer times, Mr. Baughman bought land in Wright town-
ship, and was there extensively engaged in farming until after the dis-
covery of coal in that vicinity, when he sold out, and afterwards lived,
retired from active pursuits, in Linton, his present home. Mr. and Mrs.
Neal are the parents of six children, namely: Ralph Emerson, Letha,
Virgil, George, John M., and Mabel Louise. Politically Mr. Neal affil-
iates with the Democratic party and has been an important factor in the
political arena, in the furtherance of his party’s measures. He has been
delegate to both state and county conventions at various times. He is a
member of Jasonville Lodge, No. 530, F. and A. M. Religiously Mrs.
Neal is a worthy member of the Missionary Baptist Church.

    JOHN E. GRIDER is prominently identified with the farming and stock
raising interests of Posey township, and is also serving his fellow citi-
zens in the office of trustee of his township. His family were early resi-
dents of this community, and from the early days to the present they have
been prominent in developing the agricultural interests. Cornelius Jones
Grider, the father of John, came to Indiana with his parents when a lad
of eight. He was born in Tennessee May 30, 1827. On arriving in
Indiana the family located on a farm in Nevins township, Vigo county.
There the little son grew to mature years, but during his early manhood,
however, he came to Clay county, where he had charge for several years
of a tannery in Posey township, and for some time following this oper-
ated a flouring mill here. He then bought sixty acres of land in Posey
township, which he cleared and improved, and in this township he was
married to Mary Grass. She was born in Virginia, of German ancestry,
and was reared and educated in Indiana. Three children were born to
Mr. and Mrs. Grider, a son and two daughters, and by a former marriage
Mr. Grider also had three children, but all are now dead. He has been a
lifelong Republican, and is a member of the United Brethren church at
Cloverland.
    John E. Grider remained in his parents’ home until the age of
twenty-one, attending the district schools of Posey township, and from the
age of maturity he has made his own way in the world. After his mar-
riage he farmed on rented land for six years, and then bought eighty
acres in Posey township, also at one time owning thirty-seven acres in
another tract, and in addition to his home farm of eighty acres he also
owns property in Cloverland, where he resides. In 1904 he was elected
to the office of trustee of the township, and he has been quite active in
local politics for many years.
    Mr. Grider married, November 16, 1898, Dean O’Connor, who was
born and reared in Posey township, Clay county, a daughter of Timothy
and Martha (Roberts) O’Connor, the father a deceased miner and famer
of this locality but a native of New York City. Mrs. Grider is the second
of their four children, and all were born in Staunton. Mrs. O’Connor had
four children by a former marriage. Two children, a son and a daugh-
ter, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Grider—Stanley and Anna Dell.

    Vol. II 31