Cyrus Bousman

CYRUS BOUSMAN.

In this country of ours it is necessary that some people should follow the occupation of farming, some store-keeping, some banking, some the professions, and so on. All are necessary to each other and form parts and parcels of the great body of society. There was a time, in the days of our grandfathers, when each family was also wholly self-sustaining, when the mother made the garments and the father secured the food, but this older order of affairs has been done away with by advanced methods more in accordance with our progress and present-day institutions. The farmer can not get along without the store-keeper and the banker, and the two latter are depending on the farmer under the new order of things. The dependence is mutual and each is required to fill his position. One of the modern business men of Randolph county who has lived to see the transformation of this locality from the pioneer epoch to the twentieth century advancement of which we of today are acquainted is Cyrus Bousman, for many years a successful merchant and now head of the State Bank of Saratoga, and one of our best known, most useful and highly honored native sons, who has done much for the general improvement of his locality and is rounding out the Psalmist's allotted life-span of three score and ten years in a manner that stamps him as the possessor of rare attributes of both head and heart.

Afr. Bousman was born in Randolph county, Indiana, October 27, 1845. He is a son of George W. and Sarah (Almonrode) Bousman, a sterling old pioneer family, who braved the wilds of this locality three-quarters of a century ago. Their family consisted of eight children, named as follows: Susanna is the wife of Benjamin Mace, a farmer near Browerville, Minnesota, and they have six children; Mary, who died at the age of sixty years, was twice married, first, to John Coats, by which union three children were born, and secondly to Frank Holmes, by whom four children were born; Cyrus, subject of this review; John H., who lives on the old homestead in White River township, has been twice married, first to Mary Clear, by whom one child was born, and secondly to Mahala Mowry, which union resulted in the birth of six children; Sarah J., who died at the age of fifty-one years, married N. J. Beard, a farmer of White River township, and to them eight children

I 5 12 RANDOLPH COUNT i, INDIANA.

were born; Luchion and Martin died a number of years ago, also one when quite small.

George W. Bousman, father of our subject, was born in Preble county, Ohio, February 22, 1822, and there he spent his boyhood and received such educational advantages as those early times afforded. He was sixteen years old when, in 1838, he came to Indiana, entered a section of land in White River township, Randolph county, which he cleared, developed into a good farm in due course of time and there established the future home of the family and spent the remainder of his life there, dying at the age of seventy-eight years. He was a successful farmer and a good citizen, highly respected by all who knew him. The county was practically a wilderness when he came here and he endured the usual privations and hardships of first settlers. His father was a native of Germany who emigrated to America in an early day and settled in Preble county, Ohio. The mother of the subject of this sketch was born in what is now West Virginia, and there she grew to womanhood and married her first husband, Simon Holmes, by whom two children were born. She subsequently removed to Ohio where she and Mr. Bousman were married. Her death occurred May 30, 1908, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. After the death of her husband she made her home with the subject of this sketch. She was a splendid woman of the old school, possessing many fine traits of character.

Cyrus Bousman grew to manhood in his native community in this county and he received his education in the common schools. He assisted with the general work on the farm when a boy and he began life for himself as a farmer, which he followed for six years, then turned his attention to merchandising, conducting a general store at Saratoga for a period of twenty-eight years, during which time he built up a large and lucrative patronage, doing a most satisfactory business with the surrounding country, carrying at all times a large and well-selected stock of goods, and, dealing honestly, and courteously with his many customers, he always enjoyed their good will and respect. Finally, selling out his store he started the Saratoga State Bank in Saratoga, in partnership with George Edger, and has been head of the same for the past ten years. His able management and wise foresight has made this one of the sound, safe and popular banks of this section of the state and it has a large number of patrons which is constantly growing and the institution is a pronounced financial success and has been of great assistance in the progress of the community during the past decade, being the center of a large and thriving agricultural community. Mr. Bousman has been very successful in a business way and is one of the most substantial and influential business men in this part of the county. He owns considerable valuable property, including a handsome and modernly furnished residence.

Politically Mr. Bousman is a Progressive, and while he exerts a potent influence on local public affairs is not a politician in any sense. He has for years been a member of the United Brethren church and, in fact, a pillar in the same.

Mr. Bousman was married November ii, 1865, to Margaret A. Fraze, a daughter of John Fraze, a prominent early-day farmer of Randolph county, where she was reared and educated. She is one of a family of six children. The union of our subject and wife has been without issue, but they have reared three children, namely: Bessie Fraze, who married Victor Harmon, and Delia Jenkins and Thomas Davis.

Personally Mr. Bousman is a genial and companionable gentleman whom it is a pleasure to meet. He is a man of the best character and reputation and is one of the county's foremost citizens in every respect.

As printed in Past and present of Randolph County, Indiana : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.