BIO: BLAND, Richard & William H., s/ & gs/o Moses & Nancy (Boze) Bland Submitted by: Diana Flynn BLAND, MASON, ALLEN, BOZE, WILSON, HUGHES "HISTORY OF GREENE AND SULLIVAN COUNTIES, STATE OF INDIANA, FROM THE EARLIEST TIME TO THE PRESENT; TOGETHER WITH INTERESTING BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, REMINISCENCES, NOTES, ETC." CHICAGO: GOODSPEED BROS. & CO., PUBLISHERS. 1884. SULLIVAN CO., IN. HAMILTON TWP. PAGE 717 RICHARD A. BLAND was born and reared a farmer's boy. His native State was Kentucky, where he was born January 6, 1815, and was educated in Jennings County, Ind, where his parents moved in about 1823. When of age, he engaged in cabinet making at Carlisle, Sullivan County, and two years afterward opened a shop of his own at New Lebanon, which he conducted until 1845, when he located in Sullivan, but the following year returned to New Lebanon, and about a year later began building flatboats, for which there was great demand. Three years later he engaged in saw-milling, and in 1855, bought a farm of ninety-one acres three miles from New Lebanon. After occupying this three years, he sold out and bought another of 110 acres east of New Lebanon, upon which he lived and labored until 1877, when he moved to the county seat, and is now retired. In 1835, he married Eusebia Mason, who died April 5, 1875, leaving four children--Nancy, William H., Thomas F. and Samantha. The deceased are James M., Marion, Sarah M., Richard A. and Justus D. December 19, 1877, he married his present wife, Mrs. Millie A. Allen. His four children are pleasantly located near him. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since 1837; is a Republican. His parents were Moses and Nancy (Boze) Bland, natives of Virginia. SULLIVAN CO., IN. HAMILTON TWP. PAGE 717 WILLIAM H. BLAND was born in New Lebanon, this county, February 13, 1840, the third of nine children born to Richard A. and Eusebia (Mason) Bland. He was reared in Sullivan County, receiving a liberal education at the graded school of his native town, finishing in 1857. He then worked on his father's farm until September, 1861, when he enlisted in Company I, Second Indiana Cavalry (Forty-first Regiment), becoming Sergeant. He particitpated in the engagements at Munfordville, New Haven, where his regiment captured the third Georgia Regiment, Perryville and Hartsville, where he was captured. He was held prisoner three days and nights, receiving nothing to eat during two-thirds of that time. After being paroled, he was sent to Camp Chase, Ohio, later to Indianapolis, and after being exchanged rejoined his regiment and participated in the actions at Triune, Tenn., Chickamauga, Resaca, Dallas, Ga., near Atlanta, and others of lesser importance. He was a brave soldier, and was mustered out at Indianapolis, October 4, 1864. He returned home and remained with his father four years, and then bought sixty acres of land near New Lebanon, but a year later returned to this father's farm, and in 1872 purchased his present farm of 120 acres, which is now neatly improved. August 24, 1868, he married Miss Clara A. Wilson, who died August 20, 1869. March 25, 1873, he married Miss Mary E. Hughes. By this union he has the following children: Harry E., Hudson A., Clarence E., living, and Nora Bell, deceased. Mr. Bland is a Republican, and he and wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. ************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent.