Bits and Pieces:
Biographies and Other Information About Some Warrick County Pioneers
Some of the early pioneers and other folks of Warrick County have need to be mentioned. Not because thery were famous but because each is an indivudual with a story to tell. These were mostly common people and that is what the world mostly is. They came to or were in the first few generations born here and they survived. In this area you will find them listed and short biographies or other information about them.
Index
- Judge Zachariah Skelton Early pioneer, friend of Lincoln
- Last will and Testimony of Zachariah
- Rev. James Hart Stood for his own funeral.
- Jacob Roth Fatal farm accident.
- Edna Eastham Mother and daughter burned to death
- William C. Scifres Degonia Springs Hotel
- GenWeb Warrick Biography page.
Zachariah Skelton (1784-1856)
Zachariah Skelton was born 24 sep 1784 in Union County, South Carolina and died 10 Feb 1856 in Warrick County, Indiana. On 10 Mar 1803 in Elbert County, Georgia he married Nancy Jane Scales, daughter of Thomas Scales, Sr. and his wife Ann. Nancy Jane was born 02 Feb 1783 in Union County, South Carolina and died 24 May 1839 in Skelton Twp. of Warrick County. This marriage produced eleven children. Zachariah moved to Warrick county, near present day Selvin in 1813, then into Skelton Twp. where his homestead consisted of about 400 acres.
Zachariah married the second time on 19 Dec 1839 to Elizabeth Scales, daughter of Thomas Scales, Jr. and niece of Nancy Jane. Elizabeth was born in 1814 in Alabama and died in April, 1880 in Eagle Rock, Missouri. Zachariah had six more children by Elizabeth.
He was a member of the Regular Baptist Church and was clerk of Little Zion Baptist Church, a sister church where the Lincolns attended. He was closely acquainted with the Lincoln family due to reason of his political affiliations and prominence on the bench of Warrick County. For his country, Judge Skelton fought under William Henry Harrison at the battle of Tippecanoe. He also served in the War of 1812. He is buried with his first wife in Garrison Cemetery in Warrick County.
Last Will And Testimony Of Zachariah Skelton
An inventorial of the last will and testimony of Zachariah Skelton, Sen., towit:
I will and bequeath my son John forty acres of land as follows towit: to be taken off the west end of my land part
in section eleven and part in secton fourteen in township no. five south of range no. seven west.
I willl and bequeath to my son Jacob forty acres of land as follows towit: the north west quarter of the south west quarter of section no. thirteen in township no. five range no. seven.
I will and bequeath to my wife, Elizabeth all the balance of my land to have and hold as her own, so long as she remains my widow, and at her death or marriage I want all the land she holds to be equally divided between my four daughters towit: Ellen and Mary and Martha and Purlina Jane.
I will and bequeath to my son John a certain last spring colt it being the only colt I now own, of that age, also one rifle gun, it being the only gun I now own.
I will and bequeath to my sons, Thomas and William and my daughter Elizabeth and my son Zachariah and my daughter Julian and my son Robert and Elizabeth there being my first set of children all they have had of me as a father which is an equal portion to what I have just given to my second set of heirs. I want all my just debts paid out of my personal property, and after my wife Elizabeth has taken what is allowed by law, if there is any remainder, I want it equally divided amongst my last set of children.
I hereby appoint Elijah Skelton and Henry Hart my administrators to see to carring out this my will. Given under my hand this November 19th in the year of out lord AD 1856
Zachariah (his mark) Skelton
Ref. Will Book I, 1831-1859, Warrick Co. , IN
Rev. James Hart
New Harmony Times, 26 Feb 1904
The last request of Rev. James Hart, for fifty-five years a minister of the General Baptist Church at Folsomville, Warrick Co., to be stood up in his pulpit during his funeral was complied with last Saturday. The glassy eyes of the old preacher looked out over the immenser audience that came to pay their homage to him. But the eyes never moved from one point. They were set in death.
This was the strangest funeral ever known. While ministers endowed with life and animation spoke the burial rites, the services were practically conducted by the dead, for every eye was fastened upon the half-reclining corpse that occupied the pulpit.
Never before was such a scene enacted as that which took place in the little village of Folsomville. During the progress of the services many of the congregation lost their self-control and the solemn words of the ministers were often interrupted by the shouts of some hysterical listener. So many years had Rev. Mr. Hart been one of the ceacon lights of the little village that the residents could hardly believe him dead.
When they entered the little church to pay their last homage to his memory, what was their surprise, their consternation, to see the silver-haired pastor standing behind his pulpit. but life was gone from the once active body, the lips were stilled forever, the eyes looked out upon the faces of the men and women and children, but they saw not. The arms, so often lifted over the heads of the congregation in solemnm benedicition, were folded and at rest upon the breast of the man whose life work was ended.
The undertaker who had charge of the funeral had followed out the last wishes of the aged minister as well as he was able. The coffin containing the remains was stood behind the pulpit, tilted back just enough to prevent his lifeless body from falling forward against the pedestal on which rested the bible whose pages had for fifty-five years furnished texts for the minister.
This text was taken from the "New Harmony Times" dated 26 Feb 1904. The contents was submitted by
Eleanor Glenn Tenbarge for publication in "The Tri-State Packet of the Tri-State Genealogical Society"
Vol. 19, No. 4: June 1996.
A friend of mine, Thomas Hart who is related to the Rev, told me of this story several years ago while we were
working together. This is, however, the first recorded entry I have seen of this funeral.
Jacob Roth
The Boonville Standard: Friday September 8, 1899
Mr. Jacob Roth, a farmer living 6 miles northeast of boonville, met with a fatal accideent Wednesday evening. He was driving a colt hitched to a cart, when the colt becoming frightened ran away throwing Mr. Roth to the ground. When found he was unconscious. His head was badly cut and bruised and was also injured about the chest and body. Medical aid was immediately summoned but his wounds were pronounced fatal. Up to this time he has been unconscious. Mr. Roth's injuries were caused by being kicked by the horse and it is thought he was thrown on a disk harrow, as he was picked up only a few feet from a harrow. Mr. Roth's death is looked for at any minute. He was a brother to Messrs. William and Andrew Roth of this place. He was 64 years of age.
The Shafer Brothers Funeral Home records states Jacob died September 7 and the funeral was September 10. The
age at death is given as 63 years, 7 months, 7 days.
The cause of death listed at the Warrick Co. Health Dept. states; Compression of brain from hemorrhage, farming,
duration of about 34 hours.
Jacob is buried with his wife Mary in the Roth Cemetery located a few miles east of Boonville. This cemetery is
the final resting place to at least 28 people with the name of Roth. It is also possible that others are buried
there and their markers lost.
Edna Eastham and daughter burned to death
The Boonville Standard: Friday Feb. 23, 1906
One of the saddest accidents ever known in this community occurred at the home of Mrs. Edna Eastham, about five miles north of Tennyson, Thursday morning Feb. 15, at about nine o'clock. The daughter, Amanda Eastham, about 38 years of age and of feeble mind, was so badlly burned that she died almost instantly and her mother Edna Eastham, aged 69 years, died a few hours later. The facts as related by coroner Joe Baugh who was notified of the incident and who immediately proceeded to the scene to make an investigation, are as follow. the entire family consisted of four members--Edna Eastham, the mother; Amamda Eastham the daughter; Elmer Eastham, the son, and Lizzie Eastham, the wife of Elmer Eastham.
About 7:30 o'clock Thursday morning Elmer left home to work on the farm. Shortly after Lizzie his wife, left the home to go to a neighbor on an errand. In about three-quarters of an hour after Lizzie left the house some school children came along on their way to school. They heard somebody screaming over at the Eastham home and ran to the nearest neighbor, John Eastham, another married son, and gave the alarm. When Mr. Eastham reached the home of his mother the scene that met his gaze was indescribable. His sister Amanda was lying on the floor dead with all the clothing burned from her body excepting her shoes. In another room he found his mother heroically battling with the fiery flames that were still burning in the reminant of clothing upon her person. Mr. Eastham soon succeded in removing the burning clothes, but too late to save her life. She lingered in great pain until six o'clock. Mrs. Eastham made a partial statement as to how the accident occurred before she lost consciousness.
It seems that she and her daughter were in the sitting room which is heated by an open grate. The daughter approached the grate apparently to get something from the mantel and while in that position her clothing caught fire and she started to run. He movements attracted her mother's attention just in time to enable the latter to grapple with her and prevent her from reaching the front door leading out into the yard, where from her actions she apparently intended to go. Then a struggle for life or death ensued, the mother trying to extinguish with her hands the flames that now almost entirely enveloped the young woman. In the frantic efforts the latter made to break away and leave the room they were brought near a bed from which the mother snatched a blanket and sought to throw it around her daughter and smother the flames, but in her exhausted condition and the frenzied struggles of the young women it was impossible to do much toward subduing them.
By this time the mother's clothing was on fire and burning so rapidly that she was compelled to begin the battle for her own life, seeing that any further effort on her part to save the life of her daughter would be fruitless. She rushed into the kitchen and seized a bucket of water which she dashed over herself, checking the progress of the fire to some extent. When John Eastham entered the room he saw that his sister was dead and turned his attention to the relief of his mother. After removing her burning clothes he rendered such relief as he could until the neighbors arrived. Dr. Williams of Folsomville, was summoned and did all he could to administer such treatment as would alleviate her suffering, for after dressing the burns he saw there was no hope of her recovery.
Just one week prior to this accident the husband and father died from a stroke of paralysis. The Easthams were one of the most prominent families of Pigeon township, having lived in and near that community all their lives. Interment took place at the Twin Cemetery Friday Feb. 16, and both were buried side by side in one grave.
Degonia Springs Hotel
"Most Popular Summer Resort in Southern Indiana!"
William Chandler Scifres was born March 8, 1842 in Hardin County, KY. He was the first son of of David Edward Scifres and Permelia Ann Padgett. Permelia was, however the fourth of David's 5 wives, so William had seven older brothers and sisters. His only younger sister (contrary to the report below) was Sally Ann Scifres LAMBERT, born 1844 in Hardin Co., KY.
As a very young man, William operated the Scifres Mill on Otter Creek in Hardin Co., KY, where he lived until 1856 (he would have been 14 years old). He moved to Meade Co. with his father, David, and sister, Sally. He was a storekeeper and miller at Gatewood, near Brandenburg, Ky. The "Louisville Library Reference of Confederate KY Volunteers", page 556, says that William enlisted August 18, 1862 in the Confederate Army in Hartsville, TN and served in Company C, 2nd Calvary KY Regiment under Morgan until the end of the war. He was in a prison camp at Camp Douglas in Illinois for about 18 months. There exists a gap in William's history from after the war until October 15, 1874, when he married Rilla Chappell in Spencer Co., IN. They had 8 children; those listed in the article below (dated 1885), plus 3 others after 1885: Nellie D. Scifres, Rilla Scifres, and Wallace M. Scifres.
William died on October 22, 1909 in Hancock Co., KY and is buried in Utility Cemetery behind Union Church in Utility, KY. His wife, Rilla, died on December 7, 1936 in Hancock Co., KY and is believed to be buried next to her husband.
>From a 1965 reprint copy of the "1885 History of Warrick, Spencer, and Perry Counties, IN" --from the Warrick County, Skelton Township section of the book:
"William C. Scifres was born in Hardin County Kentucky March 8, 1842, the youngest in a family of nine children born to David E. and Permelia A. (Padgett) Scifres, natives of Kentucky, where they lived and died in the Missionary Baptist faith. William C. remained at home on the farm receiving a common school education, and in 1878 bought one half interest in the DeGonia Springs and two years later located there. October 15, 1874, he married Miss R. Chappell, who was born Sept. 8, 1854, a daughter of R.W. and Harriett (Bivens) Chappell and to them have been born the following named family; William I., Minnie M., (deceased), Robert E., Anna P., and Mamie O. Mr. Scifres has a large hotel for the accommodations of his guests and will soon be prepared to receive 100 regualr boarders. He is a member of the A.O.U.W., Masonic fraternity and a democrat in politics."
Also, from Skelton Township Business References, Warrick Co. Atlas 1880:
"DeGonia Springs, (Douthitt and Seifers*, proprietors) The most popular Summer Resort in Southern Indiana. There is a large and commodious hotel at the springs which has been thoroughly refitted and refurbished for the accommodation and convenience of guests. The wonderful curative properties of the waters render it one of the most desirable resorts for invalids. Come one and come all for a new lease on life from its invigorating and health giving waters."
*This surname has many spelling variations. Most documents show the spelling SCIFRES for William C. Scifres.
Submitted by, Terri Hauk
Return To Main Page
© 1999 Gilbert Schmitt