James H. Tilman

    James H. Tilman is a native of Adair County, Kentucky, born November 11, 1827, the second son in a family of fourteen children, born to Morris A. and Mary (Brown) Tilman, natives of Virginia and North Carolina respectively. They were married in Kentucky, and came to Indiana in 1828, where they continued to live until their respective deaths.

    James H. lived with his parents, and received a good common school education, at the same time helping his father, who was a gunsmith in Mt. Pleasant, Crawford County, Indiana. In 1849 he established a gunsmith shop at Selvin, Warrick County, Indiana, and October 14 of the same year was married to Miss Edna Hale, daughter of Isom and Elizabeth (Taylor) Hale, who were residents of Warrick County, and to them have been born six children: Malinda E., Jonathan R., Elsie (deceased), Lucretia (deceased), Charles E. (deceased), and Truman P.

    In 1861 Mr. Tilman enlisted in Company G, First Indiana Cavalry, but was discharged at Pilot Knob, Missouri, in November of the same year, but again enlisted in Company I, Fifty-third Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war, receiving an honorable discharged at Louisville in July, 1865.

    He is now blacksmithing in Selvin, owning his shop and residence, and enjoying an old and established trade. He is well and favorably known throughout the country, is a member of the Masonic fraternity, a Republican in politics, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Source: History of Warrick, Spencer, and Perry Counties, Indiana, By: Goodspeed Bros. & Co., 1885.