"Biographical and Historical Record of Jay County, Indiana," Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1887. Reprinted by Mayhill Publications of Knightstown, Indiana, 1974. This is the reprinted Jay County section out of the original combined 1887 History of Jay and Blackford counties. P 377: "S. K. WILLIAMS, one of the old and respected pioneers of Jay County, was born in Miami County, Ohio, August 18, 1820, a son of John and Elizabeth (TAWNEY) WILLIAMS. In 1839 he immigrated to Jay County, with whose interests he has since been identified, and has witnessed the progress that has been made during almost half a century, seeing the wilderness changed into well cultivated farms, and prosperous towns and villages. Mr. WILLIAMS was married to Miss Amelia GRAY, their marriage being consummated September 23, 1841. Jesse GRAY, the father of Mrs. WILLIAMS was one of the pioneers of Jay County. Mr. and Mrs. WILLIAMS have six children -- John W., May O., James H., Charles S., Rebecca Ellen and Jesse G. Mr. and Mrs. WILLIAMS are residing on a good farm of 160 acres of well cultivated land, surrounded by all the necessary comforts of life, and are enjoying the fruits of their years of toil. They are numbered among the most esteemed citizens of Jackson Township, where they have made their home for so many years." P 377: "William CARSON, a pioneer of Briant, was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, May 19, 1813, son of Samuel and Mary (KINNEY) CARSON. When he was six years of age his parents removed to Muskingum County, Ohio, where he lived until 1856. He early learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed for many years. At the age of twenty-one years he married Ellen SWAIN, born January 19, 1814. In 1856 he removed his family to this county, locating in Bear Creek Township, and it was through his influence that the town of Briant was laid out. He gave 100 feet for right of way, and also gave five acres for railroad purposes, besides ties and labor in building the side track. He assisted in locating and building the school-house, and gave land for the church building. Mr. and Mrs. CARSON had three sons -- Samuel, Hiram and Lewis. Mrs. CARSON died in 1876. Mr. CARSON was for many years a member of the Christian church and a liberal supporter of the same. He was very [p 378] active in the building of the New Corydon turnpike. He has a well improved farm, a good story and a half residence, and commodious barns and farm buildings. Eighty acres of his farm he entered from the Government in 1840, having visited Indiana that year, traveling at one time thirty miles without seeing a cabin. Samuel CARSON, a son of the preceding, was born May 14, 1840, in Muskingum County, Ohio, and when four years of age, was taken by his parents to Coshocton County where he resided until 1856. He was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools. He was married in 1870 to Miss Sarah Ann WATSON, daughter of George B. and Catherine WATSON. She was born in Wayne County, Ohio, May 11, 1845. Mr. and Mrs. CARSON have five children -- Cora Lee and Calla May, twins; John, Nora, and Kate." P 696: "C. WILLIAMS, senior member of the firm of WILLIAMS & KENDRICK, wagon makers, was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, February 2, 1847, son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth (LAKE) WILLIAMS, who were the parents of six children, our subject being the third child. When he was six years of age his parents came to this county, where his youth was passed at farm work. After he reached his majority he worked at carpentering for some time, and then engaged in blacksmithing and wagon ironing. In 1863 he, with Mr. KENDRICK for a partner, started the Briant Wagon Works. Mr. WILLIAMS married March 17, 1860, to Laura KING, of this county, and they have one daughter, Gertrude." P 695: "George W. BUTCHER, Sr., is one of the successful pioneers of Bear Creek Township. He was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, October 27, 1822, son of Jacob and Rachel (MCCOLLUM) BUTCHER. The father was born in Virginia, married in Fairfield County, Ohio, and reared a family of ten children -- Amanda, George W., Rebecca, Samue, Nancy, Julia Ann, Mary Jane, Saluda, Jacob and Delany. The BUTCHER family came to this county in 1838 or 1839, coming with a horse team, and located in the woods of Bear Creek Township. The father built a log house, 18 X 20 feet, the logs being split so that it was a round-log on the outside and hewed -log on the in the inside. There was a clapboard roof and weight poles, a puncheon floor and one glass window. George W. passed his early life in assisting to clear the farm. He was married in March, 1845, to Miss Elizabeth NELSON, who was born in Licking County, Ohio, December 14, 1830, daughter of Charles and Sarah (HILTON) NELSON, who were the parents of sixteen children, two now [p 696] living -- Mrs. BUTCHER and Mrs. Mary ARMSTRONG. The parents came to Adams County, this State, in 1840, where they remained until their decease. After his marriage our subject located on section 2, where he lived until 1865, then removed to his present farm, where he owns 200 acres of excellent land, a good residence and comfortable farm buildings. Mr. and Mrs. BUTCHER have twelve [sic] living children -- Jacob, Perry, William W., James M., George W., Jr., Samue A. M., Isaac N., Charles H., Mary E., Rachel Ann, Julia Ann, Adam Clark and Alexander B. Mr. BUTCHER is a Democrat, and a worthy member of the United Brethren church." P 695: "William W. BUTCHER, a son of George W. and Elizabeth (NELSON) BUTCHER, is a dealer in general merchandise produce, butter and eggs, etc. He established his business in 1872, and his annual sales amount to $50,000. In his store may be found dry goods, boots and shoes and staple and fancy groceries. He has a good trade and has secured the confidence of the people. He was born in this county April 6, 1851. He was reared on a farm and attended the common schools of his father's district; also attended the Bluffton High-school in Wells County. He was married October 27, 1872, to Miss Samantha MASON, of Bear Creek Township, a daughter of Jacob MASON. They have four [sic] children -- Luera, Irwin, Clara E., Laura May and Wilma. Politicaly [sic] Mr. BUTCHER is a Democrat. He owns forty acres of good land, has a story and a half residence, and other commodious buildings. Everything about the place indicates the thrift of the proprietor." P 694: "Charles LARE is a native of Jay County, Indiana, and a representative of one of the pioneer families of Jefferson Township, where he was born May 28, 1840. His parents, Peter and Mary (BOST) LARE, were born, reared and married in the State of Pennsylvania, the father born in the city of Philadelphia, his parents being natives of Germany, where they lived until after their marriage. The mother of our subject was of Dutch extraction. The father was a shoemaker by trade, and plied that avocation in Mifflin, Pennsylvania, after his marriage until he came to Jay County, Indiana, in 1835. He came to the county a poor man, having barely enough money to pay for his land, forty acres on section 24, Jefferson Township, at Government entry, having but fifty cents left after paying for his land. His personal property consisted of a horse and wagon, and a few household goods, and with his family, then consisting of his wife and four children, he found shelter under a rudely constructed cabin made of poles and boughs until he had built their primitive log cabin. With strong arms and a stout heart, assisted by his excellent wife, who was one of the bravest and strongest of women, he commenced making a home out of the forest. The first year or two Mr. LARE was obliged to work for early settlers in Randolph County, to earn bread for his family, and the improvement of his homestead was slow, but before many years had passed they had made a good home, and added eighty acres to the original purchase. His wife was a working partner in improving the farm, taking her place in the harvest field, where she was able to bind after the fastest cradler to be found, and also cooked for her family and also the harvest help. They lived to see their land under excellent cultivation and well improved, and to have their children well settled in homes of their own. After a life of great usefulness the father died January 17, 1870, aged seventy-three years. His widow survived him several years, dying at the advanced age of eighty-two years December 29, 1883, in Steuben County, at the home of her daughter Mrs. Hannah KUNCE. The children born to them are as follows -- Jeremiah, who died at the old home in Jefferson Township in his twenty-first year; Catherine, wife of Christian SMITH, of De Kalb County; Hannah, wife of John KUNCE, of Steuben County; Savilla, wife of William SANDERS, of Pike Township, the above mentioned being natives of Pennsylvania; Charles, our subject, the first child born to them in Jay County; Josiah, was a member of the Thirty-ninth Indiana Infantry, in 1861, and died at the old homestead in Jefferson Township, aged twenty-one years; George P. is now living in California. Charles LARE, whose name heads this sketch, was reared at the omestead of his parents, his youth being spent in helping to improve the farm, and in attending the district school. When twenty-one years of age he began life for himself. He was married July 7, 1860, to Miss Eliza J. BAIR, a native of Pennsylvania, born March 21, 1844, but at the time of [p 695] her marriage living in Jefferson Township, Jay County, a daughter of Samuel T. and Catherine BAIR. Her father died at New Mount Pleasant February 7, 1877, and her mother was afterward married to Jacob KERNS, and is still living in Jefferson Township. Of the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. LARE five are living -- George married Laura BARNES and lives in Jefferson Township; Samuel, Albert, William and Sarah. The two eldest children, Wiliam and Mollie, died young. Mr. LARE continued to reside in the vicinity of his birth-place serveral years after his marriage, where he improved and sold two small farms. He then bought a farm of eighty-six acres on section 12, Jefferson Township, where he lived until the spring of 1883. This place was well improved, and was sold by our subject for $4,200, and the same year, 1883, he removed to New Mount Pleasant, remaining there almost one years. He then purchased his present homestead, on section 3, Jefferson Township, where he has eighty acres of well improved and well cultivated land. Mr. LARE has worked his own way in life, and by diligence and persevering industry has met with success. After leaving his home he worked more or less at the carpenter's trade for thirteen years, but of late years has devoted his entire attention to his agricultural pursuits. In politics Mr. LARE casts his suffrage with the Democratic party." ------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Betty Creath