History Of Rush County Indiana 1888 Brant & Fuller Surnames In This Biography are: Priest, Fletcher, McKee, McConnell, DAVID F. PRIEST was born in Anderson Township, Rush County, Ind., November 30, 1844. He is the son of David and Martha A. (Fletcher) Priest. The father was born in Montgomery County, Ky., June 30, 1808. He was the son of Powell Priest, a native of, Virginia, and of Welsh descent, who settled in Kentucky while quite young. The grandfather of our subject, Powell Priest, removed from Kentucky to Wayne County, Ind, in the year 1820, and two years afterward was among the first to seek a home in Rush County. They settled on the farm on which Lewis Winship now lives, and helped to develop this farm, on which he died and is buried. The father of David F. grew to manhood here and assisted in the farm work. He married, on March 29, 1832, Martha. Fletcher, and soon after purchased the farm of eighty acres on which he subsequently resided. He acquired additions to this by economy and frugality until at his death he owned 240 acres of land. This farm is just south of his father’s farm in Anderson Township. He was the father of four children, all-living, viz.: William P., Ezekiel, Della J. and David F. The father died October 23, 1877, after having lived a very busy and useful life. His companion survived him a few years, and on September 17, 1881, she passed away. David F. worked on his father’s farm and attended the schools of the neighborhood. In 1864 he entered the Northwestern Christian University (now Butler), at Indianapolis, and remained two years. On September 1, 1869, David married Rilla Fletcher, who was born January 3, 1848, a daughter of Walter and Louisa (McKee) Fletcher, a native of Kentucky. Mrs. Priest’s maternal grandfather was for several years a member of the Kentucky Legislature. Her mother’s brother, Samuel McKee, was a Republican Member of Congress from Kentucky, about the close of the war. After their marriage David and his wife began housekeeping on the home place, and here resided until the death of the mother. He subsequently purchased the McConnell farm and lived here two years. The children of this union are: Walter W., Bennie, died in infancy; George, Meta, Anna and Frank. In February, Mr. Priest sold his farm and removed to Rushville, where he now resides. He is the obliging proprietor of the city omnibus lines, and in politics is a Republican.