Leander N. Millspaugh
Those who pass along the roads of Jefferson Township are sure to comment with favor upon the attractive residence and farm of Leander N. Millspaugh, located in Section Six and on Rural Route No. 2 out of Gaston. The fences and cultivation of the fields are an indication to the practical farmer than an energetic and business like farmer lives on that place, and the comfortable white dwelling house in the midst of fruit trees and the shade trees, and the large red barn and other buildings also indicate thrift and prosperity. Prosperity has come to Mr. and Mrs. Millspaugh as a result of hard labor and close management, and while prospering themselves they have not been unmindful of the needs of the unfortunate and have borne a helpful share in community activities.
The Millspaugh family have a number of representatives in Grant and Delaware Counties. Grandfather James Millspaugh, according to all information available, was born and spent all his life in New York State and was a farmer. Of his children one daughter was Sallie, who married a Mr. Clark, and their home was near Cincinnati, Ohio. The son Gilbert C. Millspaugh, the father of Leander N., was born in New York State in 1806. The ancestry of the Millspaugh is German. Gilbert Millspaugh was reared on a farm and when a young man settled in Fayette County, Indiana, among the pioneers. In that county he was married to Miss Lucy Williams, who was born probably in Southern Indiana, about 1812. After their marriage they lived on a farm in Fayette County where their seven sons and one daughter were all born. This family of children are described as follows:
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Harvey, who was a carpenter by trade and died in Fayette County, leaving a family of children.
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Oliver H., who after a long career as a carpenter and farmer is now living retired in California, was three times married and had children by his tow wives.
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William, who was a veteran of the Thirty-Sixth Indiana Regiment, and was for a time a prisoner of war, was a farmer until his death in Washington Township of Delaware County.
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Peter, who was a skilled workman and successful carpenter and builder, lived and died in Jefferson Township of Grant county, and by tow marriages left two sons and some daughters.
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Catherine married Daniel Richards, a farmer of Delaware County, and there are two sons and a daughter still living of their union.
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Leander N.
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Milton J., who has a large family of children by two marriages, now lives on his farm near Marin in North Dakota.
The birth of Leander N. Millspaugh occurred in Fayette County, Indiana, January 8, 1847. There he was reared until 1860, and in that year the family moved to Delaware County. His father died in Delaware County in 1861 at the age of fifty-six, and when the mother was a second time married, Leander, though still but a boy in years, set out to make his own way, and soon afterwards came to Grant County. The second husband of his mother was William Hollis. Mr. Millspaugh's mother died in Grant County when threescore years of age. With a common school education, acquired in the country school, Leander Millspaugh got his practical training for life on a farm, and has made a prosperous business out of tilling the soil. His beautiful farm of eighty acres is in Section Six of Jefferson Township, and he and his wife have lived there since their marriage. It was inherited by Mrs. Millspaugh from her mother. They not only have a good farm but a comfortable nine-room residence and good barns and other facilities for successful farming and the growing of livestock is one of the chief industries of the Millspaugh place.
Mr. Millspaugh was married in Jefferson Township, February 16, 1871, to Miss Sarah E. Burgess, who was born in Fayette County, Indiana, March 28, 1850. She was partly reared and educated in her native county and partly in Grant County, and she finished her education in the Delaware County Public Schools. Her father, Israel Burgess, was born in Indiana about 1822 and was married in Fayette County, to Ruth Crawford, who was born in Fayette County, March 9, 1821. Israel Burgess was a farmer by occupation and died in Fayette County in 1851. His widow was married February 17, 1857, to John D. Kirkwood, of Fayette County. Mr. Kirkwood was born October 29, 1826, and in 1862 established his home in Grant county, locating on a farm of eighty acres in Section Six of Jefferson Township. The Kirkwood farm was later increased by the addition of eighty acres more, and there on what is known as Kirkwood Creek, he and his wife passed the rest of their years. She died December 14, 1902. Mr. Kirkwood died on the old homestead in May, 1905. John Kirkwood was a Democrat in politics, and he and his wife held to no church creed, although they were excellent people, both morally and as citizens, were hard workers, and were charitable in all their relations. John D. Kirkwood and wife had two sons, Frank H. Kirkwood, whose family history is given elsewhere in this publication and Brooks, who died and left one son.
Mrs. Millspaugh was the younger of two daughters. Her sister, Margaret J., is the widow of William Millspaugh, a brother of Leander, who died in Delaware County in March, 1903, and his widow now occupies the old farm in Washington Township. Mrs. William Millspaugh has a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters, all of whom are living and all married but one. As already stated, William Millspaugh was a veteran of the Civil War.
Leander N. Millspaugh and wife had two children: Orla Corwin, who was born in Grant County, January 9, 1874, is a carpenter by trade, his home being in Anderson, Indiana. He married Ola Beck, who died, leaving three children, Willard L., Mildred A., and Gar H. Orla C. Millspaugh married for his second wife, Virginia B. Scott and their children are Everett and George A. Arthur Floyd Millspaugh, the second child was born November 15, 1882, and is a carpenter by trade, and resides six miles from Rennsalaer, in Jasper County, Indiana. He married Fleet Beck, and they have one daughter, Evelyn R. Mr. Millspaugh votes the Democratic ticket, and is always ready to enlist his services in behalf of any undertaking for the general good of his community.
Source: Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914, page 1000.