James W. Bayless

    James W. Bayless was born in Madison, July 1, 1829, was raised on a farm and educated in the common schools. He has never sought office, and does not like secret societies. He owns 157 acres of good land, and runs the farm his sister Sophronia keeping house for him, as he has never married.

    His father, Nathaniel Bayless, was born March 12, 1796, in Hartford County, Maryland, near the head of Chesapeake Bay; he came to Madison, Indiana about 1817. He was a house carpenter and joiner, and built many houses; among those he built was the house Mr. Chas. Alling lives in. He built the paper mill on Indian Kentucky creek, known as Sheets' Paper Mill. He sharpened a dirk knife for Mr. John Sheets, which, it is said, was the one with which Sheets killed White, in Madison, some sixty five years ago.

    In 1824 he married Miss Mary A. Whedon, who was born in New York, in March, 1806, and came to Jefferson County when 12 years of age, with her father, Stephen Whedon, an early settler of Madison.

    By this marriage there were six children: George, who died at the age of 48; James w.; Nathaniel, living in Monroe Township; Stephen, who died in 1884; Anna M., who is married to John Riggle, and lives at North Madison, and Sophronia, who lives with James W., who furnishes this sketch. Mr. Nathaniel Bayless moved from Madison about 1837, to Madison Township, where he bought 720 acres of land, and where he died in 1885. His widow died March 13, 1879.

    There is a clock and fire shovel that has been in the family some sixty-four years.

Source: Biographical and Historical Souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott and Washington, Indiana. By John M. Gresham & Co., 1889.