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

MARTIN L. CLOUSER Conspicuous among the representative business men and
public-spirited citizens of Boone county is the well-known gentleman whose name forms
the caption of this article. Mr. Clouser has made his influence felt for good in his
community, being a man of sterling worth, whose later life has been closely interwoven
with the affairs of Thorntown and whose efforts have long been for the material
advancement of the same, as well as for the social and moral welfare of his fellow-men,
and the well-regulated life he has led, thereby gaining the respect and admiration of his
fellow citizens, entitle him to representation in a biographical work of the scope intended in
the present volume.

Martin L. Clouser, who has for the past decade been the moving spirit in the Thorntown
Co-operative Telephone Company, was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, May 28,
1869. He is a son of Alfred F. and Maria (Huber) Clouser, both natives of Ohio, the latter
of Circleville, Pickaway county. The paternal grandparents, John and Margaret Clouser,
were natives of Pennsylvania, and in that state also were born Elijah and Catherine Huber,
the maternal grandparents. They were all early settlers in Montgomery county, Indiana.
The paternal grandfather built the Clouser mill on Sugar Creek which the family continued
to operate until 1875, then leased the mill, which was still run until the roller process of
milling forced it and other mills of its type to close down. Alfred F. Clouser, father of our
subject, first married Malinda Cory, by whom he had two sons, Simon, who lives in
Montgomery county, and George, who died when sixteen years of age. After Alfred F.
Clouser married Maria Huber he located on a farm in Montgomery county, where he spent
the rest of his life successfully engaged in general agriculture pursuits, dying in the fall of
1907 at an advanced age, having always enjoyed the respect and good will of his neighbors
and acquaintances. His widow still lives in Montgomery county. To these parents the
following children were born: Martin L., of this review; Charles W., who lives in
Montgomery county; Boyd O., of Crawfordsville; Elijah and Daniel, both of Montgomery
county; and Catherine, who is the wife of Charles Calahan of Crawfordsville.

Martin L. Clouser received his education in the district schools, later attended the State
Normal at Danville for four years, then spent two years in the University of Valparaiso.
He remained with his parents until his marriage on April 25, 1892, to Viola Moore, who
was born in Clinton county, Indiana, and a daughter of Rev. James and Harriet (Smith)
Moore, a highly respected family of that locality. After his marriage our subject located on
a farm in Montgomery county and followed general agricultural pursuits until the fall of
1902, having forged to the front rank of his fellow tillers of the soil through his close
application and good management. Upon leaving the farm he removed to Thorntown,
Boone county, and became manager of the Thorntown Co-operative Telephone Company,
which responsible position he has held continuously to the present time and has been
responsible for its rapid growth and ever-increasing importance. This company was
organized in the fall of 1900 with H.W. Huber, president; S.V. Titus, vice-president; L.D.
Woodcock, secretary. At this writing S.V. Titus is president; Dr. E.L. Brown, vice-
president; L.W. Beesley is secretary and treasurer; J.E. Boyer, superintendent; Martin L.
Clouser, assistant secretary and manager. The company started with twenty-six telephones,
on borrowed capital, and it had a competitor. At this writing it has over six hundred
telephones, is free of all emcumbrances, has bought out its competitor, and it is now worth
twenty thousand dollars. The company has eighteen regular trunk lines from its office to
surrounding towns, besides the main toll line to Indianapolis. Everything is modern and
first-class. There are seven regular employees and there is an average of three thousand
calls answered daily by its operators. Besides looking after the general management of the
plant Mr. Clouser also does the bookkeeping. He employs one man as wire chief. The
company covers a territory of about twelve miles in extent and is well developed. Our
subject is one of about three hundred stockholders.

The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Clouser: Pauline, Mary, Gertrude,
Margaret, Catherine, James, Maria and Martha, all at home.

Politically, Mr. Clouser is a Democrat but is not active in political affairs. He is a member
of the Catholic church in Lebanon. He is an alert, broad-minded, educated,
companionable and courteous gentleman and is popular with the people.

BEESLEY BOYER BROWN CALAHAN CLOUSER CORY HUBER MOORE SMITH
TITUS WOODCOCK

Submitted by Amy K. Davis