Capt. Rufus Gale

    Capt. Rufus Gale, farmer, Monroe Township, the subject of this sketch, was born in Madison in 1831. His father, Elmore Gale was born in Massachusetts, November 28, 1795. He came to Madison on a raft, in November, 1813, and was therefore one of the early settlers of the city and county. Elmore Gale and his father Rufus Gale (who was a native of New Hampshire, born in 1771, and was a great bee fancier), settled on a farm which is now a part of the lower end of the city of Madison. He married Miss Elizabeth Brown, who was the daughter of Thomas Brown, a native of Maryland, who was an early setter at Madison. He was Associate Judge of the county in early days, and was a prominent business man of Madison in the pork business.

    Capt. Gale was raised in the city of Madison, and attended the common schools of the place. He enlisted in the United States service, in the 6th Reg. Indiana Volunteers, in the three months' service; was among the first sworn in, in the State; was mustered in as first lieutenant of Company E, and served as such till the close of the term. He then re-enlisted in the 39th Reg. Indiana Volunteer (8th Cavalry) in September, 1861; he was mustered in as Captain of Company H, and served until August, 1865, and was with his regiment in all of the principal battles of the regiment. The most noted of these campaigns was with General Sherman, from Shiloh to North Carolina, known as the march to the sea. The regiment was General Sherman's escort at the time of General Johnston's surrender. After the war Captain Gale returned home, and was elected County Auditor of Jefferson County, and served for two terms. After his second term as Auditor expired, he engaged in farming in Monroe Township, where he still resides upon his farm of 160 acres of well-improved land.

    In 1870 he was married to Miss Harriet M. Sering, daughter of John G. Sering, one of the early born inhabitants of Madison. Mr. Sering was one of the first queensware merchants of the city. He and  his father-in-law, Mr. John Mellen, were the first firm who dealt exclusively in china, glass and queensware. Mr. Sering was Clerk of the county for many 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.