Source: History of Boone County, Indiana, by Hon. L.M. Crist, 1914.

BENJAMIN BOOHER Benjamin Booher, for years one of the wealthiest residents of
Boone county, and one of the most energetic and business-like farmers of his township,
intelligent and self-made, descended from good old Pennsylvania German stock, and was
well worthy of a prominent place in any volume of biographical record. His grandfather,
John Booher, on coming from Germany to America, first located in the Keystone state
and there married a native of Germany, and to this union were born the following named
children: Jacob, Mary, William, Benjamin, John, Frederick, Isaac, Henry and Elizabeth.
All of them, imbued with the stamina of their origin, grew to maturity, emigrated to the
farming lands of Virginia and Tennessee and reared families to add to the wealth of the
nation through their incessant toil. John Booher, the grandfather, finally found a home in
Sullivan county, Tennessee, in the early settlement of that section, but still retained his
farm in Washington county, Virginia. He was a slave owner and a well-to-do planter of
considerable influence in both states. His son, Jacob, the father of Benjamin, our subject,
was born in Pennsylvania on March 3, 1777, and when a boy of twelve, in 1789, found
himself a resident of Tennessee. He there learned the blacksmith's trade, and there
married Catherine Barnett, a daughter of Nicholas and Barbara Barnett, and to this, his
first marriage, were born five children, named William, Mary, Elizabeth, Guardianas and
John M. This lady was called away in due course of time and Mr. Booher married her
sister, Elizabeth Barnett, and to this union were born seven children, viz: Catherine,
Jonathan, Jacob, Ambrose, Lucinda, Benjamin and Leander. December 8, 1834, Jacob
Booher left Tennessee and came to Indiana and settled on one hundred and sixty acres of
entered land in Montgomery county, to which he subsequently added by purchase two
hundred and forty acres, but not immediately adjoining his entered property. He became a
man of much wealth and influence and a representative citizen. He and his wife were
faithful members of the Lutheran church, and in politics he was a Jacksonian Democrat.
He lived to be sixty-eight years of age, and died July 29, 1845, on his farm in
Montgomery county, Indiana, mourned by all who knew him.

Benjamin Booher, late of Lebanon, Indiana. with whom this particular sketch has most to
do, was born on his father's farm in Sullivan county, Tennessee, September 5, 1821. He
received the education usually accorded in the common schools of his early days, but was
an apt scholar and quick to learn through self-application to the books that came within
his command. He was thirteen years of age when he came to Indiana with his parents, and
here he was invigorated both in body and mind through the severe discipline of farm
labor. He was married in Boone county on October 20, 1842, to Margaret, daughter of
William and Margaret (Hughes) Beeler, and twelve children were born to this genial
union. The order of birth is: Martha, Margaret E., William J., Albert L., Benjamin C.,
Sylvester C., Vando L., Adelaide M., Mark A., Emma R., Daniel B. and Minnie F.

Benjamin Booher had been but three years married when he located in what is now
Whitestown, Boone county, where he bought ninety acres in the dense wilderness. He
cleared it of its heavy timber, and by hard work and thrift increased his possessions to
one thousand seven hundred acres, almost all of which was in one body, and of this large
property he gave to his children, donating to each of them a comfortable sized farm. After
the death of his first wife, Mr. Booher married Mrs. Mary Smith, who had borne the
maiden name of Ross. He then moved to Lebanon, and here purchased his substantial and
elegant brick residence, retiring from the more active duties of business, but still
following his restless activity in giving his attention to the details of some of the more
important business of his life until a short time prior to his death, which occurred on
December 28, 1910.

Mr. Booher was a man of remarkable physical strength as well as intellectual superiority
and force of character, and it is stated that at the age of fifty-five years he could easily
spring over the back of a high horse. His stupendous labor in the field and untiring
industry have given full evidence of his physical endurance. He was entirely self-made as
to pecuniary affairs, but his position as an intelligent citizen of high standing before his
fellow-men has come through nature alone. He took but little interest in politics, thinking
for himself on all matters pertaining to political economy and party affairs, but yet, on
one occasion withdrew from his personal business to become trustee of Worth township
as a self-imposed duty. He won his high position before his fellow-citizens entirely
through his personal exertions.

Mr. Booher's mother, Elizabeth Barnett, was born on February 3, 1779, a daughter of
Nicholas and Barbara Barnett; they were natives of Pennsylvania and later they moved to
West Virginia, where they remained until death. They were farmers and very devoted
Christian people and were the parents of the following named children: George,
Catherine, John, Adam, Jacob, Peter, Elizabeth, Mary, Margaret, Sarah and Nicholas. The
father of this family was a man of ordinary means but much respected.

BARNETT BEELER BOOHER HUGHES SMITH

Submitted by Amy K Davis