Fountain County IN Archives Biographies.....Handy, John 1828 - 
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Author: H. W. Beckwith (1881)

   John Handy, farmer, Newtown, was the youngest child of Thomas and Mary Ann
(Anderson) Handy. His father was a native of New York and his mother of Ireland.
They removed from New York to Ohio, and lived one winter near Huntsville; then,
continuing their removal west, stopped in Parke county, Illinois, where the
subject of this notice was born April 23, 1828. In 1830 the family retraced
their journey as far as this county, making permanent settlement on the S. 1/2
N. W. 1/4 Sec. 2, T. 20, R. 7, Richland township, Mr. Handy's present home. This
land was bought from a man by the name of Nelson. Mr. Handy has lived here since
that time, engaged in farming. His marriage with Miss Lucinda Johnston took
place March 1, 1848. She was the daughter of James Johnston, who arrived in this
township from Montgomery county, Ohio, November 3, 1826, and improved a home
near the present site of the Union Cemetery Church. Mrs. Handy was born April
18, 1828. Hannah Berkshire was her mother's name before marriage. In 1848 her
parents went to Wapello county, Iowa, and resided five years; then, returning to
Indiana, made their home near Pine Village, in Warren county, her father dying
there November 15, 1863, and her mother October 30, 1865. The Berkshires were
from Wales, and the Johnstons from Germany; their arrival antedates the
revolution. Her grandfather Berkshire, was one of the Boston Tea Party, and a
soldier in Gates' army at the surrender of Burgoyne. He also performed the
difficult and dangerous service of a spy for Gen. Washington. Her grandfather
Johnston was one of the first settlers of Kentucky, and was in the army during
the war for independence. His family went back to Virginia, all borne on a
single pack-saddle, his wife carrying her infant (Mrs. H's father) in her arms.
The journey occupied forty days, and was made in company with one man, three
women, and some children. They passed among the Indians, were tracked by wild
beasts, and procured their food in the wilderness as they traveled. There have
been born to Mr. and Mrs. Handy three children, all living: Henrietta, December
19, 1848, wife of Joseph Shields, of Van Buren township; Charles Sylvester,
March 20, 1851, married to Martha Whitesel; John T. O., May 19, 1861. Both
parents have been professors of religion thirty years; they first united with
the Presbyterian church, but after three or four years took letters to the
Methodist church, with which they have since communed. Mr. Handy has been a
member of Richland Lodge, No. 205, A. F. and A. M., since 1863. He owns a farm
of 120 acres, forty of which are in Van Buren township, thirty acres of this
last tract being uncleared. Mr. Handy passed from the whig to the republican
party, where he still has membership. Both his parents died in Richland
township; his mother March 12, 1867, and his father May 24, 1867.

Additional Comments:
Richland Township

Extracted from:

HISTORY OF FOUNTAIN COUNTY,

TOGETHER WITH
HISTORIC NOTES ON THE WABASH VALLEY,

GLEANED FROM EARLY AUTHORS, OLD MAPS AND MANUSCRIPTS
PRIVATE AND OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE, AND OTHER AUTHENTIC, THOUGH, FOR THE MOST
PART, OUT-OF-THE-WAY SOURCES.

BY H. W. BECKWITH,
OF THE DANVILLE BAR; CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETIES OF
WISCONSIN AND CHICAGO.

WITH MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

CHICAGO: H. H. HILL AND N. IDDINGS, PUBLISHERS.
1881.

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