Milton S. Vawter

    Milton S. Vawter was born February 17, 1829, in Madison Township, Jefferson County, Indiana. He is the son of James and Sarah B. (Watts) Vawter, who were natives of East Tennessee and Boone County, Kentucky (see sketch of James Vawter, among eh early settlers of the county).

    Milton S. Vawter was born in the house in which he now lives, on a farm, and was reared upon it.

    At the age of 20 he became a clerk for his brother, John W. Vawter, at North Madison, in the spring of 1849. He afterward engaged as a clerk for R. M. J. Cox, in the business of merchandise, at Taylorsville, Bartholemew County, Indiana, for one year.

    In June, 1850, he commenced business for himself, and continued until the fall of same year, when he sold out to Mr. George Brown, and returned to Jefferson County, to assist his brother, J. W. Vawter, in building plank roads.

    In 1851, went to Elizabethtown, Bartholomew County, Indiana, and commenced merchandizing, and continued until 1855. He then went to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to assist his brother in building plank roads. in 1856 he went to Amity, Johnson County, Indiana, with a new stock of merchandise, and continued there until 1868. From there he went to Martinsville, Morgan County, Indiana, and ran a flouring mill for one year.

    Early in 1860 he opened a dry-good store in Madison, Indiana, and continued until fall of 1861, when he sold out his stock.

    In 1863 he was engaged on the river, on which he filled several places, from watchman to captain -was on Clara Dunning, David white and Alice V., part of the time in the United States Government service, on the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. Continued river life until spring of 1867. In December, 1867, he opened up in business again in North Madison, and in 1869 sold out, and again went to Madison, where he sold goods for a short time; then constructed a storeroom at his home on the farm, where he continued to do business.

    Mr. Vawter was married in Adams County, Ohio, December, 1865, to Miss Aurena L. Vawter, a native of Jefferson County, Indiana, by whom he had three children: Frank C., Lennie F. and Bert W.; the latter died in infancy. September 4, 1872. His wife died October 31, 1872.

    He was married a second time, November 16, 1876, to Susan G. Sebree, a native of Gallatin County, Kentucky.   

    Mr. Vawter owns 275 acres of land in Jefferson County. He received a very limited education, but is a thorough business man.

    Judge John Watts, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Virginia in 1767, and came to Dearborn County, Indiana, about 1817; was a Baptist preacher and was a judge of the county courts in very early times in this State.

    The name of Vawter is derived from the French.

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.