Surname: Colburn, Sherman, Coombs, Stanton Compendium of Biography Of Henry County, Indiana B. F. Bowen 1920 E. R. COLBURN. Fulfilling all of life’s requirements according to his highest ideal of right, aiding the spirit of enterprise and improvement, and using his influence for what benefits humanity and builds up the community, it may be truly said of the worthy subject of this review, “he has made the world better by living in it.” He is one of the old residents of Dudley Township for a number of years has been identified with the commercial interests of the thriving town of Straughn, though now living a somewhat retired life in the enjoyment of the fruits of his labor. Mr. Colburn is a native of New England, born in Vermont on the 2nd day of May 1827. His parents, Giles and Sylvia (Sherman) Colburn, were also natives of the Green Mountain state and descendants of Scotch and Irish ancestors. The subject of this sketch was reared in Fairfield, Vermont, and enjoyed the advantages of a good education in its public schools. When a young man he went to Ohio and after a few years there came to Indiana in 1865, locating at Monticello, White county, where he began working at the trade of wagon and carriage making. On the 23d of July of the same year he was united in marriage to Miss Francese E. Coombs, the daughter of Charles and Emeline (Stanton) Coombs, of New York. The Coombs family is of French descent: the original ancestors of the Stanton’s came from England and were early settlers of York state. The family is wel1 known in American history, having produced a number of noted men and women, among whom was the distinguished states-man, Edwin M. Stanton, secretary of war during President Lincoln’s administration. The father of Mrs.Colburn was a wealthy farmer and stock raiser, making a specialty of fine Morgan horses, in which he met with marked success: he also dealt in lumber quite extensively and became one of the wealthy men of his county, having accumulated an estate valued at seventy-five thousand dollars. He was a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, a leading Democrat and took an active interest in public and political affairs. He died in 1862, his wife preceding him to the grave by some years Mrs. Colburn was born July 27, 1847, and acquired a good education in the common school and high school of her native place, being a graduate from both. She taught two terms of school in New York and later came to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she first met the gentleman who afterwards became her husband. In 1883 Mr. and Mrs. Colburn took up their residence in the village of Straughn, where they opened a general store, which proved a very successful venture. The business has been carried on with satisfactory financial results for over nineteen years and is still the leading establishment the kind in the place and one of the best local business houses in the county outside of the larger towns. Mrs. Coburn gave personal attention to the store for a number of years, but at the present time her son is the manager and as such has greatly increased the trade, building up a large and lucrative business. This son, Stanton S. by name, born on the 18th of August, 1879, was graduated from the common schools, also from the Dublin high school, and is a bright young man of excel lent habits and superior business qualifications. Mr. Colburn has been a life-long active member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows fraternities and with his wife belongs to the Methodist church. He is a man of good mind, which has been strengthened by much reading, and he keeps himself well informed on the leading questions of the day. He has a wide acquaintance with history, politics, economics and kindred subjects, while his knowledge of the world’s best literature is by no means limited. He is a gentleman of varied attainments, highly esteemed by the people of his town and nothing in the form of criticism has ever been made against his integrity or personal honor. His character has always been above reproach and the rectitude of his intentions has never been questioned. He has pursued the even tenor of his way, quietly and unobtrusively discharging the duties of citizenship as becomes a loyal American and doing all within his power to promote the material and moral good of the community. Mrs. Colburn is noted as an energetic and untiring church worker, epically in the Sunday school where her abilities have long been recognized and appreciated. From the time of moving to Straughn until about two years ago she was one of the school’s most popular and efficient teachers. Intellectually she is well qualified for leadership in religious work, possessing tact and executive ability, which, with her beautiful Christian character, make her not only valuable in her church but also a potent factor for good in the community at large.