LYCURGUS STONER.
The family of which the subject of this review is an honorable representative has been identified with Putnam county since the pioneer period and today there are few names in this part of Indiana as widely known or as highly esteemed. Lycurgus Stoner, a veteran of the late Civil war and a prominent citizen of 'Washington township, is a grandson of Peter Stoner, of Maryland, whose antecedents were among the early settlers of that colony. Peter Stoner was born September 14, 1763, and at the age of sixteen ran away from home on account of his stepfather and entered the American army, enlisting in 1780 for three months' service. At the expiration of that time he re-entered for six months, still later for ten months, and during his military experience participated in a number of battles and skirmishes, including the engagements at Monks Corner and Eutaw Springs, North Carolina, in the latter of which he was twice wounded. Some time after the close of the war for independence he settled in Orange county, North Carolina, where he lived until his removal, about the year 1832, to Putnam county, Indiana. In September, 1832, he applied to the government for a pension, which in due time was granted, this fact together with his war record being attested to in March, 1890, by Valentine Warner, commissioner of pensions at Washington, D. C.
Peter Stoner was married August 13, 1793, to Eva Cotner and became the father of several children, among whom were Peter, Jr.. who moved to Putnam county in 1823. Joseph, who also settled in this county, locating on Little Walnut creek in Madison township, where he cleared a farm and spent the remainder of his life. He was a member of the society of Friends, was twice married and lived to be quite an old man. Peter Stoner was a man of fine business ability and at his death, which occurred on April 7, 1851, left a valuable estate.
Peter Stoner, Jr., son of the above, preceded his father to Putnam county by about nine years, settling two miles west of Greencastle, between Little and Big Walnut creeks, in 1823. He drove from his North Carolina home in a two-horse wagon, which contained his few belongings in the way of household goods and agricultural implements, and upon his arrival the sum total of his available cash amounted to just fifty cents. In due time he erected a log cabin, in which his children were afterwards born, and by dint of hard and long continued labor, cleared and improved a farm on which he spent the remainder of his life. The present house, which replaced the
original cabin, was built in 1853 and has been used continually since that year, being, one of the oldest farm dwellings in the community and in a good state of preservation. Mr. Stoner added to his holdings at intervals until he became the owner of about four hundred acres of land which afterwards increased in value and placed him in independent circumstances. He directed his energies to the clearing and developing a part of this land and as a farmer he easily ranked with the best in the county and acquired a handsome competency, leaving at his death an estate conservatively estimated at over a hundred thousand dollars. Although a member of no church, his life was singularly noble and upright and against his character no breath of suspicion was ever tittered. His death, on June 4, 1876, was profoundly lamented by the large circle of friends and neighbors. Mrs. Stoner, who preceded her husband to the grave about two or three years, was a woman of excellent repute and stood high in the confidence and esteem of all who knew her. The family of this worthy couple consisted of the following children : Joseph W., Lycurgus, William P., Peter S., John IV.. Sarah j., widow of John Davis of California ; Lucy, wife of Benjamin Dagger, of LaPorte county, Indiana ; Eve, who married James H. Torr, and lives on the old homestead in Madison township, and Indiana, wife of John L. Hillis, of Greencastle.
Lvcurgus Stoner, the second of the above family, was born March 17, 1836, in Putnam county, Indiana, and spent his early life on the family homestead, attending in the meantime such schools as were then common. He remained with his parents assisting in the cultivation of the farm until ominous clouds of impending civil war obscured the national horizon, when, with thousands of other loyal young men throughout the North, he responded to the first call for troops. enlisting on April 21, 1861. in the Tenth Regiment. Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which he served three months in Virginia, taking part during that time in several skirmishes and minor engagements, including the action at Rich Mountain. which was among the first battles of the war. At the expiration of his period of service he re-enlisted and shortly thereafter was attached to General Fremont's body guard at St. Louis, where he remained on active duty until his time expired. In January. 1862, he joined Company E. Twenty first Regiment. Indiana Volunteer Infantry, at Baltimore, Maryland. and continued with the regiment until 1864, on January l0th of which year he veteranized with Company E. Twenty first Regiment, Indiana Volunteers, at Baton Rouge. Louisiana, which was in General Butler's command and operated along the lower Mississippi and elsewhere, among the more noted of that General's
achievements being the capture of New Orleans, in which the subject took part.
Later Mr. Stoner was 'with General Banks on the ill starred Red River expedition, where he saw much active service and passed through many thrilling experiences ; he also participated in the battle at Baton Rouge, the capture of Port Hudson and a number of other engagements, his military service being replete with duty bravely and uncomplainingly performed. While at the front he was fortunate in escaping injury, the only time he was absent from his command by reason of disability being a short period in a hospital at New Orleans, where he was treated for an attack of typhoid fever.
Discharged with an honorable record at the expiration of his period of enlistment, Mr. Stoner returned to Putnam county and shortly thereafter purchased a fine tract of bottom land on the Big Walnut creek, which he at once proceeded to improve. Mr. Stoner in due time had his farm under a high state of tillage and in connection with agriculture also devoted considerable attention to the breeding and raising of fine livestock, in which his success was continuous and gratifying. For twenty eight years he was associated with his brother Peter in the livestock business and since 1884 has occupied the beautiful and commodious home in Washington township, where he is now living a life of honorable retirement.
Mr. Stoner, on February 14, 1867, was happily married to Elvira Boone, a daughter of Daniel and Malinda (Miller) Boone, the father a native of Harrison county, Indiana. and a son of Moses and Hannah Boone and a great nephew of Daniel Boone. the noted hunter, frontiersman and Indian fighter, who bore such a distinguished part in the early annals of Kentucky and elsewhere throughout the central West. Mrs. Stoner's father came to Putnam county with his parents about 1821 and settled on Big Walnut creek in Washington township, where Moses Boone died in 1853 at the ripe old age of eighty four years and three months. Daniel spent his young manhood clearing and developing the farm on which he and his faithful wife spent the remainder of their days. he departing this life on October 20, 1889, aged seventy three, and she on the 12th day of March, 1902, when eighty two years old. All of the eleven children born to this estimable couple grew to maturity, and ten of the number are still living, being among the old and well known residents of Putnam county and highly esteemed in their re= spective communities. Squire Boone, a brother of the famous frontiersman, at one time owned the farm on which Mr. Stoner now lives; he sold the land in 1849 and went to Iowa. settling on the present site of Boonsboro
in Boone county, where his son and other descendants still reside, the town and county being so named in honor of the family.
Mrs. Lycurgus Stoner, whose birth occurred February 9, 184o, has borne her husband eight children, five of whom survive, viz : Fred. who lives on the homestead in Washington township; Gertrude, under the parental roof ; Maude. who married Edward Houck, of Brazil. Indiana; Blanche. wife of Oscar O'Hair, of Monroe township, and Lycurgus, who lives on the home farm in the township of Madison. Mr. Stoner is a public spirited citizen who stands for all enterprises having for their end the material prosperity of the community and the moral advancement of his fellow men and since attaining his majority has yielded unwavering allegiance to the Republican party. For several years he was a director of the First National Bank of Greencastle, but for some time he has not been identified with any public institution, being the possessor of a handsome fortune and amply able to spend the remainder of his life in the enjoyment and rest which his long- years of strenuous effort so richly entitle him.
Lycurgus Stoner was born on 17. Mar. 1836 at Putnam County, Indiana. He was the son of
Peter Stoner and
Mary Wells. Lycurgus Stoner married
Elvira Boone, daughter of
Daniel A. Boone and
Malinda Miller, on 14. Feb. 1867 at Indiana. Lycurgus Stoner died on 4. Feb. 1918 at age 81. He was buried at Reelsville, Putnam County, Indiana.