J R Carson

JAMES RALSTON CARSON

The ancestors of this gentleman were early settlers in Pennsylvania, and were of Irish origin. John Carson, the parental grandfather, was a native of Penn., and in 1733 emigrated by way of Pittsburgh, and settled in Butler County, Ohio, where resided until his death, in 1838. He was the father of 11 children. His son John was born at the old home in Penn. in 1787; he was reared and educated a farmer. In the war of 1812, he was a soldier under Gen. Hull, and was in Detroit at the surrender of that place to the British. He was afterward married to Miss Nancy Potts, a lady of Scottish ancestry. He then settled on a farm in Butler County, where he resided until 1820, when he removed to Indiana and settled In Fayette County, Indiana, near Connersville, and then in 1835, he moved to Hamilton County and settled 140 acres of Government Land in the township of Jackson, near the present village of Cicero, where he resided until his death in 1863, at the age of 76 years. His widow survived until 1867, dying at the age of 70 years.

They were parents of eleven children, named John, William, Alexander, Mary A., Rebecca, Leah, James R., Margaret, Nancy (Deakyne), Elizabeth, and Emily. Of those the only ones living are John, James and Mary. John resides in Dubuque, Iowa and Mary in Illinois. James R. was born at the old house in Butler County, Ohio on the 12th day of October 1827.

His boyhood was spent in assisting in the clearing up of a new farm, and his opportunities for obtaining an education were limited to home instruction and an occasional term at private schools. He remained at home with his parents until 20 years of age, when he learned the blacksmith's trade, which he followed for two years.

About that time he became engaged to Martha Jane Spurgeon (Sprugin), of Bartholomew County, Indiana, and they were united in marriage on the 6th day of March 1851. By this union there were three children, named, Melissa, Viola, and Virginia. Melissa was killed by a falling tree in 1862, at the age of ten years. In 1854, Mr. Carson removed to Livingston County where he remained for five years, at which he was bereaved in the death of his wife, who died on the 15th of July 1859, at the age 31 years.

Soon after the death of his wife, Mr. Carson came back to Hamilton County, and placed his motherless children in the care of his father and mother. He then purchased a flouring mill, which he managed for the next two years.

During this time he made the acquaintance of Miss Orrenda Willes, a lady of intelligence and education, the daughter of Wilder and Orrenda (Orinda) Willes, of Potsdam, New York. They were united in marriage on the 8th day of March 1860. In 1862, he sold out his mill interest and purchased a farm of 100 acres adjacent on the north to the village of Cicero, on which he has resided ever since. He has since added 20 acres to his farm, so that he has 120 acres of rich, fertile land, well adapted to the production of all grains and fruits for which that locally is so justly celebrated. On another page of this work, a fine view of the farm home of this worthy family may be found.

Mr. Carson is a man of much influence and consideration in his locality, and has at various times served in positions of trust and responsibility to the satisfaction of his constituents. He has served for many years on the School Board of Cicero, and at this time the President of the Agricultural Society of Hamilton County. In 1876, he was elected to the House of Representatives of the Indiana Legislature, and served two years. In politics, Mr. Carson was a Republican and always takes an active part in the various questions at issue in the political field. He is regarded with the highest respect and confidence as a man of good judgment and integrity.

He and his excellent wife are proud parents of 8 children named Della, Edward W., Benjamin Wade, James R., Jessie M, Samuel Wilder, Fred C. and Grace. All living except Edward who died at 12 years of age. Viola, the daughter of his first wife, is married to Frank Armstrong. They reside in Wabash County.

History of Hamilton County Indiana with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some Prominent Men and Pioneers

Chicago Kingman Bros. 1880

JAMES RALSTON CARSON born Oct. 12,1827,Butler County, Ohio, of Scotch-Irish ancestry. Attended private schools. Married MARTHA J. SPURGEON, 1851(3 children)-died 1859; married ORRENDA WILLES.1860 (8 CHILDREN). Methodist. Moved to Fayette Co., Indiana, in 1830; to Hamilton County in 1835; to Illinois in 1854; and returned to Hamilton County, Indiana in 1859. Blacksmith; miller; farmer; livestock trader; operated a flour mill in Hamilton Co., Indiana for 2 years. Democrat until 1856; Republican until 1885; Democrat. Member, board of school trustees, Freemason; Hamilton County Fair Association president. Died September 14,1889, Hamilton County, Indiana.

"(footnotes: English; Portrait; Helm-Hamilton; People's-Hamilton; AOF.)

Hon. James R. Carson was for many years inseparably associated with commercial and political history of Hamilton County, and was recognized throughout this section of the state as a man of eminent abilities. A gifted orator, logical in reasoning and convincing in argument, he was in especial demand during political campaigns, and he was recognized as one of the more fluent speakers in the county. A man of many noble qualities, charitable in disposition, his death, in September 14, 1889, was deplored as a public loss.

Before noting in detail the principal events in the life of our subject, it will not be amiss to mention a few facts concerning his ancestry.

His father, John Carson, was born in Pennsylvania 1788, and at the age of six years, accompanied his parents to Butler County, Ohio, whence, in 1830, he removed to Fayette County, Indiana. Five years later he came to Hamilton County and settled on a farm, consisting of 160 acres, near the Village of Cicero; there he remained until his death in 1865. He served in the War of 1812 and was present at the surrender of Detroit. Though by trade a weaver, he devoted his attention primarily to farming. A man of extensive information, he was a thoughtful reader of general history, and especially delighted in the study of the Bible. He was a Presbyterian in his religious belief.

The paternal grandparents of our subject were John and Mary (Ralston) Carson, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Scotland. After settling in Butler County, Ohio, they continued to reside there until death. The mother of our subject, Nancy Potts, was born in 1797, of Scotch parentage, and married John Carson in 1813. Eleven children were born of that union, concerning whom we note the following:
John, a resident of Dubuque, Iowa, has served as a Justice of the Peace for thirty years and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in that city; William and Alexander, the latter a soldier in the Union Army, are deceased; Mary A is the widow of John DeMoss, of Illinois; Rebecca deceased, was the wife of H. DeMoss; Leah, Mrs. Thomas DeMoss, is deceased; James R., Margaret, Nancy (Mrs. William Deakyne), Elizabeth and Emily (Mrs. Thomas Gerald) are all deceased.

The subject of this sketch was born in Butler County, Ohio, October 12, 1827, and resided with his parents until he attained manhood. His schooling was limited to about one year's attendance in the pioneer "temples of learning", but being possessed of a tenacious memory, he became well informed upon general topics of the times, and was especially conversant with history. At the age of about eighteen he was apprenticed to learn the trade of blacksmith, which, however he followed only a short time. He married Martha Jane Spurgeon (Spurgin) in 1851, and three years later moved to Livingston County, Illinois, where he located upon a farm consisting of one hundred and sixty acres. There he remained for five years. After the death of his wife, he came with his three children to Hamilton County and bought a gristmill in Cicero, residing in that village for two years, and then, in 1862, locating upon the farm where his widow resides.

The three children born of Mr. Carson's first marriage are: Mellissa, who was killed by a falling tree; Viola, wife of Frank R. Armstrong, of Indianapolis; and Emily V., who married Joseph Hackney of Indianapolis. In March of 1860, Mr. Carson married Orrenda Willes, a native of St. Lawrence, New York who came to Indiana in 1856. She was graduated from the Newberry Collegiate Institute with the Class of '55 and prior to her marriage followed the profession of a teacher. Her parents were Wilder and Orrenda (Kimball) Willes, the former who died in 1882, and the latter on October 23, 1893. Mr. and Mrs. Carson became the parents of eight children namely: Della, wife of James Allen of Oklahoma, Edward W. deceased; Ben W., residing in Oklahoma; Ralston and Jessie M. who lives with their mother; Sam W. residing in Oklahoma; Fred C. and Grace who are with their mother.

In politics, Mr. Carson was a Democrat until 1856, after which he affiliated with the Republicans. He served as trustee in Cicero. In 1876 he was elected to the Legislature, and took an active part in the affairs of the State at the time when the appropriation was made for the Capitol. He represented his constituents eminently satisfactory manner, and by his honorable and faithful service reflected great credit upon himself. In his religious beliefs he was identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Socially he was a demitted Master Mason.

A Portrait and Biographical Record of Madison and Hamilton Counties, Indiana,

Published: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co., 1893

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