Calvin W. Diggs

As printed in 1882

CALVIN W. DIGGS, son of Littleberry C. and Mercy (Ad.lington) Diggs, was born September 1.3, 1843, in Stony Creek Township. Randolph Co., Ind. About the year 1854, he removed with his mother to Liber, Jay (Jo.. Ind.. his father having died in December, 1840. Here he attended school the greater portion of the time during the next eight years. In the meantime civil war had broken out, and in 18fi2, he left his studies lo do his p.art in defense of (he Union. In August, 181)2, he went to Richmond, Ind., and enrolled himself as a member of Company A, Eighty-fourth Indiana Regimen(, and was with his regiment in the battle of Chickamauga, where he was captured by the rebels on the 20th of September, 1863, while trying to save a comrade, William Mendenhall. From the baade-field he was taken to Richmond, Va., and placed in Libby Prison. At the end of a month, he was transferred to Danville, Va., where he was kept for five months, and from (hat point to Andersonvillc, Ga., where he spent eight months in the miserable pen, whose horrors will continue to be a blot upon the name of the South as long as memory or history shall endure. On the 20tii of November, 1804, he w!is exchanged, and after a furlough of forty days, rejoineil his regiment at HuntsviUe, Ala., remaining with it until the close of the war. After his discharge fjpm the service he returned to his home, and, for three or four years following, taught in the district schools of the county during the winter, and in the spring of 1869, was appointed Deputy by William E. Murray, who was then Auditor, and in the fall of 1873, accepted the position of Deputy Clerk, under R. A. Le-aell. In the fall of 1877, he embarked in the business of collecting the foreign fees of Sheriffs and clerks, in the pur.iuit of which he visited each county in the SUite. This enterprise was a new one, and he found it pleasant and reasonably remunerative. In December, 188(1, he was appointed Assistant Attorney General for the Sixth and Eleventh Congressional Districts, his duties being the collection of fees due the State. In March, 1882, he formed a partnership with J. W. Macy, in the in-

On the 28tii of October, 1877, he was united in marriage with Miss Harriet R. Edger, daughter of Edward Edger, Esq., of Winchester. Their wedded life has been blessed by two children, named, respectively, Bessie Diggs (deceased; and Nellie E. Diggs. Mr. Diggs has grown up in this community, and is well known throughout the county. He has gaineil a fair share of the world's wealth by energy and industry, and by his honorable dealings with his fellow-men, has won their confidence and esteem, and he is recognized as one of our best citi-

PATRICK HENRY DEAN was born March 9, 1830, at Nicholasville, Ky. He was reared on a farm, and received a common school education in the schools of his native city. His father, John Dean, removed from Kentucky to Indiana, locating first in Johnson County, ant removing at a later date to Delaware County, and finally to Grant County, where he still resides. His son accompanied him, remaining at home until his father removed to Grant County. While residing at Franklin, Johnson County, he learned the art of making daguerreotypes, and decided to adopt that vocation. After the removal to Delaw.are County, he worked on the farm for while, and afterward set up gallery at Muncie, with a Mr. Parsons. From Muncie he removed to Tipton, Ind., and engaged in mercantile pursuits. In this line he met with marked success, and the firm of P. H. Dean & Co., became one of the foremost houses in the town. But just in the midst of his success, and when le.ast expecting it, his fortunes were reversed, end he was ruined financially by the treachery of (hose he believed to he his best friends. He found it necessary to surrender his hopes in the mercantile line, and return to the practice of his.art for a livelihood. He opened a gallery at Tipton, in partnership with a Mr. Craycrafl, and about a year later removed to Noblesville, Ind., where he was engaged in the same business. Misfortune seemed to follow him, for, while at Noblesville,

HISTORY OF RA'D0LP1[ COtLN'TY.

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HON. EDWATID RDGEll, Winchester, Ind., was born in Derry County. Ireland, March 10, 1803. He was (he son of Edward and Martha (Shields) Edger. The family, consisting of the parents and eight children, came to America in 1807, leaving Ireland.June 4th of that year. Coming over in a sailing vessel, it required three months to make the voyage. They landed at Baltinjore and went to Augusta County, Va., where they remained one ye.xr, when they removed to Bourbon County, Ey., where they resided until 1823, when the parents and family, excepting the subject of this sketch, removed to Castinc, D.arke Co.. Ohio, w'here they continued to reside during the remainder of their lives. After his father removed from Kentucky, the subject of our sketch was employed in fiat-boating and as pilot on steamboats on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. He served as pilot success.sfuUy for six years. On March 8, 1828, the " Tennessee," a large passenger steamer upon which he was ascending the Mississippi, struck a snag and sunk. About one hundred passenger. were drowned; Mr. Edger escaped, with only his night clothes, by swimming six miles on a small board. Ho was married to Miss Jane G. Putman, daughter of Unerstus Putman, a merchant of Now Madison, Ohio, November 12, 183:j, and settled at New Madison, where he engaged in the saw-mill business. Mrs. Edger is a sister of Col. David Putman, of Palestine, Ohio, and.J. G. Putman, formerly a well-known citizen of Winchester. She is a lady of sterling character, and holds a high place in the esteem of all who know her. Mr. and Jlrs. Edger removed to Randolph County, Ind., in 1837, locating where the town of Deerfield now stands,.January 20 of that year, where they kept a general supply store until 1854, when they removed to Winchester, where they have since resided. They are the parents of twelve children, seven of whom survive. Mr. Edger served a regular apprenticeship at the cabinet trade, but has spent most of his life in general merchandising, more recently in the grain trade. During his career he ha, been associated as partner with Mr..1. G. Putnam, Mr..1. B. Goodrich, Mr. Asa Teal and II. T. Semans. At the present he is retired, after a long and active business life. Although not a politician, Mr. Edger is a Conservative Democrat. He was elected his final mi

It Ore ally ir

D.N.C. Angus

, 18tj5. He returned from

,e field, le tied w

' a member of any church;

Mr. Ed e Mason

1825, and the irty years ago.

green of the Royal Arch Chapter, at liiciimui. lud

! was one of the charter members and the first Masi

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_ ged in the sale of agricultural implements, in " ii i] insurance business, associated with his son,

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ImU of the same year formed partnership r which continued until 1874. From 1874 t with L. W. Study, and since the latter date

As printed in History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships (1882). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.