James Siddens

    James Siddens is a native of Putnam County, Indiana; was born April 15, 1845, and is a son of Hugh C. and Matilda Siddens. In 1861, he enlisted in the Twenty-first Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, but was discharged after a few months by reason of sickness. As soon as he became able, he worked at farm work by the month, and in the year 1865 was married to Miss Sarah C. Browning, by which union they had four children -Ida, Eva, Hattie and Lola.

    After marriage, Mr. Siddens farmed on rented land until 1881, when he purchased his home in this township (Hickory Grove), then eighty acres of unbroken prairie, but now under fair cultivation and having a good dwelling house upon it. He is a general farmer, and raises some cattle and hogs. Mr. Siddens was Trustee of this township, first elected in 1876 by twenty-nine majority and in 1878 by sixty majority -a remarkable result by a Democrat in a Republican township. He is, as the above fact demonstrates, a highly respected citizen.

Source: Counties of Warren, Benton, Jasper and Newton, Indiana. Historical and Biographical. F.A. Battey & Co., 1883.