"COUNTIES OF MORGAN, MONROE & BROWN, INDIANA. HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL."
CHARLES BLANCHARD, EDITOR. CHICAGO: F. A. BATTEY & CO. PUBLISHERS. 1884.
F. A. BATTEY. F. W. TEPPLE
CLAY TOWNSHIP, MORGAN CO., INDIANA
PAGE 269
BENJAMIN STAFFORD, pioneer farmer of this county, was born in Highland
County, Ohio, May 28, 1810, and is the third of the seven children born to
Robert and Sarah (Bullick) Stafford, natives of North Carolina, and of
English ancestry. Benjamin accompanied his parents from Ohio to Indiana in
1818. They located in Monroe County, and remained there until March, 1820,
at which time the family came to this county. The county was then a
wilderness, and was not then organized, the Indians roaming at their sweet
pleasure through the leafy forests. Robert Stafford entered land, and made a
home in the wilderness, amid bears, wolves, panthers and other wild animals,
and, with the poorest advantages for an education, Benjamin grew to manhood.
On February 15, 1830, he was married to Ruthie Gifford, a native of Indiana,
and a daughter of Jesse and Sarah (Marshall) Gifford. They had one child,
Sarah (deceased), and the mother dying, Mr. Stafford was married to Margaret
Price on March 17, 1835. Eight children were born to this union, of whom
six are living--Nancy J. (Woods), John, Marion, William Benjamin, Barnard
and Grant. Mrs. Stafford having departed this life, Mr. Stafford was again
married. He took for his third wife Mrs. Susan Fry, by whom he has had
seven children, of whom six are living--Mary (Passor), James, Priscilla
(McKinley), Martha (Myrick), Emeline (Gooch) and Oliver P. M. Mr. Stafford
and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Stafford began
life by clearing out a farm in the wilderness, and enduring great
privations. He has succeeded, and now owns seventy acres in this township.
He alone has made from the green woods the home which he now occupies. His
only help has been a faithful and saving wife, who has been indeed a
helpmeet in all his struggles and adversities. Although Mr. Stafford is
seventy-three years of age, he has a robust constitution and promises to
live many years of usefulness in the township which he has helped to build
up. He is very strong in Christian faith, and faithful in the performance of
his duties, and has read his Bible through nearly fifty times during the
last twelve years. He could not read a word until he was forty years old.
Mr. Stafford is much prized as a good neighbor and citizen, and is fully
appreciated in the community in which he has moved so long.
Data Entry Volunteer: Diana Flynn "ivie@tima.com"
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