Mark Diggs

As printed in 1882

MARK DIGGS.

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Ho was born in Tenuessoe in 1807, came to Ohio in 1811 and to Indiana in 1813, and to Randolph County in 1830. He has been twice married, and both his wives are dead. The first was Betsey Dixon, married in 1828. The second was Polly Ann (Street) Burroughs. She died in 1880. Mr. Snodgra-s has had six children, is a farmer by occupation and a Democrat in politics. He resides a mile north of Losantsville. As would appear by the dates given above, his entire early and middle life was that of a pioneer. Born in Tennessee, near the opening of the cently, brought to Ohio about the commencement of Tecumseh's war of 1811, and taken to Indiana in 1813 when only nine years old, changing his residence still again while yet only a young man in his prime, barely twenty-thi-ee years of ago, this time to the then wild and unsettled regions of Kandolph, it is clear that for him his calling in life was to march at the front and be a strong and gallaTit leader and one of the advance guard to the mighty army of civilization that were erelong to take full and permanent possession of the beautiful and glorious western wilderness. And he could well and worthily sing to the echoes of his resounding ax-blows and to the crackling crash of the mighty tree-trunks. But that song is for this region nearly done — the giants of the " grand old woods " have disappeared, and in their stead a puny, sickly race shabbily and scantily fill the places bo long and so splendidly hiding the face of the gi-ound beneath their deep, dark shades.

John SnoJgrass was born in Virginia in 1763, moved to Tenn.>ssee in 1803, to Ohio in 181 1, to Hem-y County, Ind., in 1813, and to llandolph County, Ind., in 1830. Ho had eight children. His wife was lihoda Mays, and he was married in Virginia long before he began his wanderings to find a suitable home. He was an old man when he came to Randolph, sixty-seven years of age, but his stay was but short among his children and friends. He died in 183-1, and his wife eleven years after her husband, in 1845. Four of the children are living still. His residence was about a mile north of Losantsville. He was a, farmer and a Democrat Think of the life of this sturdy pioneer. Forty years among the rugged mountains of Virginia, eight years amid the forests of Tennessee, two, years in Ohio through the Indian war of 1811-13, seventeen years buried in the woods of Henry Coimty, Ind, and when within three years of his allotted threescore and ten, plunging yet once more, and for the hist time, into the heart of the deep, unbroken forests of Randolph County, and lying down at length after so many tedious and wearisome years, beneath the oaks and the beecher, to die and be forever at rest, while hia friends and his comrades, gathering aiwind his mortal remains, sadly but hopefully say, "Life's fitful fever over, he

William Snodgras brother of Hamilton 1809. He married Betsey Gray Gunnigill in 1870. He has had ( and all married. He came to Randolph County, Ind., in 1830 moved to Iowa in 1854, and returned to Nettle Creek, in 18GU. Ml-. Snodgrass is a farmer and a Democrat, somewhat advanced in years, but active and attentive to business. He is quiet, modest, unobtrusive in his manners, diligent and frugal in his business and careful and economical in his management, sincere in his own convictions and tolerant of those who may cliauce to differ with him. He resides on a farm north of Losantville, carrying on an extensive business in that line.

Lemuel Wiggins, Losantville, wr.s born in Hocking Countv, Ohio, in 1820; came to Hagersto\TO, Ind.; thence he removed to Blountsville, Henry County, and la.stly, to Losantville, in 18u8. His first wife died of cholera in Blountsville. His second wife was Mary Stanley. He has had ten children. Mr. W. is an enterprising man, a sterling Republican and an active INIethodist. He has been Township Trustee two years, is a merchant. a hotelkeeper; also a farmer, owning several farms; is Postmaster of the town, and a wide-awake, positive, energetic business man. He has been an extensive stock-raiser, as also a producer of fruit, since he has on the land ho owns twelve orchards.

George W. Wine was a native of Loudoun County. Va., being born in 1703, and he died in Kosciusko County, Ind., in 1804,

1 of John Snodgrass and the He was born in Tennessee in n 1836, and Anna (Leaky) Mcght children; seven are l;'

aged seventy one veal's. Ho married Margaret Durbin in Kentucky in 1817 (born 1790). He came to Ohio in 1802 (or before), to Wayne County, Ind., in 1829, and to Randolph County, Ind., in 1834. They moved to Kosciusko Coimty. Ind., in 18(j1, and he died there in 1804. They have had fourteen children, eleven of whom became grown, ten have been married and nine are still living. His widow resides at Losantsville, and belongs to the Christian (Now Light) Church.

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Hicks K. Wright was an early settler in that region, and a very prominent citizen for many years. He was County Cojnmissioner several terms, and also Township Trustee a long time, dying while in that office. Ho was an Episcopal Methodist. He raised a large family, several of whom are now living. Mr. W. died oiily a few years ago. His life is worthy, doubtless, of a larger and more definite mention in a history of Randolph; yet. while many, even of the prominent citizens, must be omitted, and only a few in all can bo commemorated, it happens that our present subject falls among the great multitude concerning whom we have failed to obtain suitable materials for an extended

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.