Washington Jolly
Washington Jolly, of Herbst, Indiana, has spent his entire life in Grant County, and he is widely known and highly respected. He ahs been a farmer during all of his active life and has made a success of agriculture, owning at the present time one of the fine farms in Sims Township. He has been an enthusiastic farmer, devoted to the work and life of the farm and his love for the soil has been well repaid. His upright character, and the kindliness and geniality of his disposition have own him many friends and made him one of the popular men of the community.
Washington Jolly was born in Franklin Township, Grant County, Indiana on 22nd of February 1852. He is a son of Elijah and Keziah (Sharp) Jolly, who were residents of Grant County for many years. Elijah Jolly was born in Frederick County, Virginia, on the 16 of April 1822, and when he was only a little child both of his parents died. He went to live with Henry Groves and the latter brought him to Clinton County, Ohio. Here he grew up and here he married Keziah Sharp. In 1851 they came to Indiana and located in Franklin Township, Grant County. Here they lived until 1868 and in the fall of that year he purchased the farm in Sims Township, which is now owned by his son. He moved hither and here he lived until his death December 7, 1908. Elijah and Keziah Jolly became the parents of five children, all of whom grew up and were married, but all are now dead with the exception of Washington Jolly. Both Elijah Jolly and his wife were members of the church. He began life as a poor orphan boy but when he died he was accounted one of the successful men of the township, all that he made having been earned by his own unaided efforts.
Until Washington Jolly was sixteen years of age he lived in Franklin Township on his father's farm. He attended the district school, in the summer aiding his father on the farm, while during the long winter months he was free to go to school. At the age of sixteen his father moved to Sims Township and here the boy went to school for two years longer. He then went to work in earnest on the farm and until he was married he lived at home and assisted his father.
Washington Jolly was married to Miss Sarah A. Spurgeon, on the 28th of March, 1872. She was born on the 30th of January, 1854, in Adams County, Ohio, the daughter of Joseph and Cynthia A. (Powell) Spurgeon. She came to Indiana in 1866 and received her education in the common schools of Indiana and Ohio. After he was married Mr. Jolly went to farming for himself and he has continued to farm for himself since that time. He owns a farm of one hundred and fifty acres in Sims Township, on the township line between Sims and Franklin Townships, tow and a half miles north of Herbst, Indiana. He left his farm in December, 1912, and moved to Herbst. Here he now resides, owning a beautiful lot of one and a half acres. Mr. Jolly is a member of the Democratic party, but he has never been very active in politics. Mrs. Jolly is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Herbst.
Mr. and Mrs. Jolly have had four children, two of whom are living today, namely, Orville A., who is a traveling salesman for the Kokomo Steel and Wire Company, and lives in Marion, Indiana, and Virginia A., who is the wife of Samuel A. Krick, of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Source: Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914.