Josiah Slusher ¹

  General Notes:

Doc. #1 - Taken from the Biography of Josiah Slusher, as written in a
book titled: BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS OF WELLS COUNTY, INDIANA 1903.
Although this gentlemen was left an orphan when a mere infant, he is
today one of the substantial and most respected farmers of Wells County,
Indiana. He was born August 27, 1844, on section 17, Jackson township ,
this county , a son of William and Hettie (Cale) Slusher, the former of
whom was to pass away, and on the death of the latter the child, Josiah
Slusher, was taken to the home of Isaac Jones, by whom he was reared on a
farm until he reached his majority, when he was given a horse and sadle
by Mr. Jones, with which he made a trip to Iowa, where he passed one year.
When Mr. Slusher returned to Wells county he worked out as a farm
hand for about twelve months, then went back to Iowa and worked in the
same capacity for another year, then made a trip through Missouri,
Kansas, and other parts of the west, and finally, in the fall of 1868,
returned to Wells county and again worked out by the month until his
marriage October 29, 1869, to Naomi Morgan. This estimable lady was born
September 3, 1848 in Wayne County, Indiana, and is a daughter of Charles
H. and Mary Morgan, natives of South Carolina, the latter of whom passed
away on the farm on which Josiah Slusher now lives, and the former in
Warren, Indiana, in 1901.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Slusher lived on rented land in Jackson
township, Wells county, for a considerable time and then lived on Dr.
Good's farm in Huntington county for three years. He then made a sale of
his personal effects and went to Arkansas in November, 1876, but, not
liking the country, returned to Wells county, Indiana, the following
February and purchased forty acres of the farm on which he how lives, but
which was then a wilderness and had no improvements except an old log
cabin contining but one room, but in 1886 Mr. Slusher erected a
comfortable house in which he and his family lived until 190l. In the
meanwhile he worked idustriously at clearing off the land from its
incumbrance of timber and converting it into a fruitful and profitable
farm.
By 1901 Mr. Slusher had acquired the means with which to purchase
the parental* homestead, of which he took possession. He countinued to
follow his industrioius habits and now owns one hundred and twenty acres
of as fine farm land as can be found in Wells county, and has besides
seven oil wells which yield him about forty dollars per month. He
carries on general faming and at the same time devotes much of his time
and attention to the breeding of live stock, giving the preference to
Jersey cattle and Poland China Hogs.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. Slusher has been blessed with nine
children, namely: Emma Eliza, born July 23, 1870, is now the wife of
Oliver Williams, of Jackson township, and is the mother of four children,
Frederick C., Arthur C., Howard D. and an infant; William, the second
child of Mr. and Mrs. Slusher, was born August 14, 1872, is a farmer of
Jackson townshp, is married to Miss Daisy Riggs, and is the father of two
children, Ruie G. and Randall C.; Samuel was born Novermber 20, 1874, and
died February 4, 1877; Leora, born November 225, 1877, died September
1878; Charles H., born September 20, 1879, still lives under the parental
roof; Mary l. was born March 23, 1882, is married to Eugene Cruse; James
LR. was born July 27, 1885, and is still at home; Goldie was born June
28, 1891, and the youngest child died in infancy unnamed.
In politics in his earlier manhood Mr. Slusher did not identify
himself with any particular party, but voted for such candidates as were
best suited in his opinion to fill the various offices for which they
were nominated, but he is now a strick Prohibitionist. With his family,
he is a member of the Radical United Brethern church, is an active worker
in the congregation. ²

Josiah married Naomi Morgan, daughter of Charles H. Morgan and Mary, on 29 Oct 1869. (Naomi Morgan was born on 3 Sep 1848 in Wayne County, Indiana, USA and died on 1 May 1927.)