Howard County IN Archives Biographies.....Stout, John 1842 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 15, 2006, 12:37 am Author: Jackson Morrow JOHN STOUT. The subject of this sketch is one of the substantial and well known agriculturists of Monroe township, Howard county, Indiana, where he has long maintained his home, being regarded as one of the leading farmers of this locality, his fine farm representing much hard labor, but the subject is a man of well known energy and determination in business affairs. Indolence and idleness are entirely foreign to his nature, and his continued activity in the management and development of this property has made his one of the valuable farms in this county. John Stout was born in Clark county, Illinois, January 28, 1842. the son of Sylvanus and Rebecca (Stanfield) Stout, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Kentucky. The subject's paternal grandfather, John Stout, was also a North Carolinan, who located in Orange county, Indiana, when Sylvanus was a small boy back in the pioneer days. They obtained wild land, which they cleared and. on which they made a comfortable home and on which they lived and died, having reared eight children, as follows: Iram, who is living in Orange county, this state; Sylvanus, the subject's father; Silas, who came to Howard county in 1848; John lived and died in Orange county; William came to Howard county in i860; Fayette lived and died in Orange county, as did also Amy and Hannah. The subject's father grew up in Orange county and attended the common schools there. He married and went to Clark county, Illinois, in 1837, where he entered land, being one of the pioneers of that day. This land was cleared in time and a comfortable home made thereon. Selling this land in 1852 the family moved to Howard county, Indiana, and purchased eighty acres one and one-half miles north of New London. An old log house and stable were on the place at the time. Being a man of thrift, he added to his land until he had a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He was always a farmer and never aspired to public office. In politics he was a Whig and later a Republican. He was a member of the Friends church and was active in church work. Ten children were born to this family as follows: Elizabeth, Jane and Mary, all deceased: John, subject of this sketch; Amy and Rachel, both deceased; Thomas is an artist in Whitman county, Missouri; Franklin, Hannah and the youngest child are all deceased. John Stout, our subject, attended the common schools at New London, this county, remaining at home until he was twenty-one years of age. He then worked out two years, after which he rented land for about four years, then buvingf land, to which he has added by reason of his prosperity resulting from his industry and frugality, until he now has a fine farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres situated in Monroe township, this county. He also owns a fine home in New London, where he lives and has eight and one-half acres of land. He has always been a farmer and is regarded by his neighbors as one of the best in the township, keeping his place well improved and under a high state of cultivation. He is an excellent judge of all kinds of live stock. He retired in 1905 and has since lived in New London. Our subject married in 1865 Mary Morris, a native of Jackson county, Indiana, a daughter of Joshua and Mary Morris, pioneers of Howard county. He was a merchant, farmer and stock dealer, coming to New London in 1853 and opening up a store. He died of smallpox the following year. His wife is also deceased. Five children have been born to the subject and wife, as follows: Emma, the wife of Samuel Thompson, living in Kokomo, this state, and the mother of two children, Blanche and Hale; Minnie, who is living in Kokomo; Howard, who is a civil engineer, being superintendent of construction on the Northern Pacific Railroad, located at present at Pasco, Washington. He was a teacher for ten years in Indiana, Kansas and Massachusetts. He married Tessie Waddell. Morris, the fourth child of the subject, is living on the home place, which he manages. He was educated at New London. He attended Earlham College for four years and became a teacher, having graduated at the Chicago University. He studied law over two years and was admitted to practice. He is married-Blanche, the fifth child of the subject, is the wife of N. B. Thorn, of Brady, Texas. They have one son, John T. Mr. Stout has always been a farmer and stock dealer and a hard worker, and he has been eminently successful as a result of his well directed energy and honest business methods. He started life in a small way with neither influential friends nor inherited wealth to assist him, but he has made good use of every opportunity and is eminently deserving of the success and praise he has attained. He has never aspired for offices of trust and emolument at the hands of the public. In politics he is a Prohibitionist and he is always on the right side of every question looking to the betterment of his community, whether in moral, civic or educational lines. He is a member of the Friends church at New London and but few men in Howard county are better known or more highly respected than Mt. Stout, for his life has always been clean and his habits exemplary. He is a pleasant man to meet, always agreeable and friendly. Additional Comments: From: HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY INDIANA BY JACKSON MORROW, B. A. ILLUSTRATED VOL. II B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA (circa 1909) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/howard/bios/stout187bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/infiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb