Jordan Futrell
Mr. and Mrs. Jordan Futrell
More than three score and ten years have been spent by Jordan Futrell within the limits of Grant County. A few years ago he retired from a successful career as a farmer and moved into Upland, where he now lives in peace and comfort, enjoying the resources accumulated by his early industry, and has a pleasant retrospect over the long past. Mr. Futrell is one of the men who has seen Grant County develop from the time of log cabin homes, and when the only transportation was by wagon trail, through the early railroad age, and through all the marvelous developments of the twentieth century.
His grandfather was Enos Futrell, who probably was a native of England, and early in life settled in North Carolina, where he lived until death, both he and his wife having attained good old age. Of their children Michael Futrell, who was born in North Carolina about 1805, grew up there and in the course of time centered his affection upon a girl whose home was in the same vicinity. Subsequently her family moved north to Ohio, and that caused Michael Futrell to leave his native state, and follow her to the new country. On horseback he accomplished the entire journey over the mountains and across the valleys to Clinton County, Ohio, where he established a farm and was soon afterwards united in marriage, with Miss Mary Rix, the North Carolina girl who was responsible for this change of residence. They lived in Clinton County until three of their children were born, and then about 1840 broke up their Ohio home and moved to Grant County, Indiana. They located near Lugar Creek, on a farm which had some improvements, and there Michael continued his labors for a number of years. Later he sold his first place and bought eighty acres in Mill Township near the county poor farm. That was the home on which both he and his wife spent their last years, and at his death in 1883 he was past seventy-one years of age, while his wife attained the last. Both were members of the New Light Christian Church, and in politics he was a Democrat.
Jordan Futrell, who was the second among the children of his parents, and who has one brother and two sisters still living, was born in Clinton County, Ohio, November 15, 1835. He was a very small child when he came to Grant County, and his earliest recollections were centered about the old home on Lugar Creek, and all his education was supplied by the district schools of that locality. He reached his majority after the family had moved to Mill Township, and after several years of work and experiments in different directions he bought forty acres in Monroe Township. Industry and good judgment as a farmer, enabled him to gradually increase his holdings, until he had eighty acres and though not one of the largest, this, under his direction became as fine a farm in the volume and quality of its products as any that can be found in the township. Among the improvements he built two excellent barns and a fine country house. Mr. Futrell's active career as a farmer continued until 1902, in which year he moved to Upland, and four years later sold his farm and gave over the cares of an active life. He owns an excellent piece of property on Irwin Street, where he has his home.
In Mill Township in 1858, Mr. Futrell married Miss Rebecca Ballinger. She was born near Marion in 1834, and grew to womanhood in Grant county. The Ballinger and the Futrell farms lay side by side in Mill Township, and this was the case of two young people growing up and knowing each other from childhood, and later uniting the destinies of their individual lives in married union. Mrs. Futrell was a daughter of John and Betsey (Burson) Ballinger, who were early settlers of Grant County, but later in life went out to Fremont County, Iowa where they died. The Ballingers were members of the Friends Church. Mr. and Mrs. Futrell have the following children: Mary E., wife of John Doller, a farmer in Monroe Township, and has two children, Laura and Ruth; Nancy E. is the wife of Jasper Hobson, a farmer, and they have two daughters, Ethel and Zelda, also one son, Everd; she first married Thomas Shannon who died, leaving a daughter, Rebecca, who is now living with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Futrell. Emma died after her marriage to William Bird, and left three sons, James C. and Jordan L., twins, and Ralph. Mr. and Mrs. Futrell have four great-grandchildren living.
Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914.